COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Veteran Coldwater High School Cross-Country and Track Coach Jim Bilsborrow asked the Coldwater School Board on Monday night to revoke a written reprimand from his records that was given to him in May by High School Athletic Director Todd Farmer.
No formal action was taken by the board on his request but they accepted Bilsborrow’s resignation as of August 2. Danielle Kelly has taken over as the new cross country coach at Coldwater High School.
A dispute between Farmer and Bilsborrow over the type of starting line that was to be used for distance races during Coldwater’s home track and field meet on May 9 led to Bilsborrow submitting his resignation to the district of all his coaching positions after 49 years of service.
Bilsborrow says in his Letter of Resignation that Farmer issued an E-mail directive, insisting that “waterfall starts” be used for all the distance races. Such starts were to be used in the Regional Meet.
But Bilsborrow said such a directive was misguided because the track at Coldwater High School did not have a waterfall starting line and that such a marking has not been added to the track since the M.H.S.A.A. instituted the starts.
Bilsborrow added all runners started from existing lanes and lines during the May 9 meet as it was the only fair way to start the races on their track.
Farmer gave Bilsborrow a written reprimand the next day which threatened termination if he did not follow directions given by administration. Farmer said in June that Bilsborrow’s resignation was regretful but he did not comment further saying it was a personnel situation.
How can an athletic director insist on using a starting line or type of start to a race that did not exist? He basically insisted he do something that was incorrect, and Coach was reprimanded for it? I think it would be a completely different situation IF CHS had the proper starting line and Coach did not use it (would not happen…) Farmer seems to be in the wrong here and where is the accountability for him?