WAYNE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A controversy is brewing in Wayne County, where a longtime basketball coach says he was fired over a decade-old grudge.
In 38 seasons at Wayne County High School, Coach Rodney Woods has been named to the KHSAA Hall of Fame and Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame. In the most recent record book, he's listed as the fifth-winningest coach in Kentucky high school basketball history.
"It's been a way of life. I've loved it from day one," Woods said.
It doesn't appear as if he'll get a 39th season. Woods said he was relieved of his duties by the new Wayne County superintendent yesterday, and he believes this is personal. He said his wife was on a screening committee that declined to recommend Don Neal as a superintendent candidate about ten years ago.
"Mr. Neal's name was not sent to the board of education. The committee didn't feel like he deserved to be. My wife was on that committee, so, she and I have probably known this was coming for a long time," Woods said.
Don Neal was ultimately voted in last summer. His nomination drew quite a reaction from the people at the board meeting. As seen in an archived video of the board meeting, several people in the crowd raised their voices when a board member nominated Neal.
Woods says he asked Neal about his future after he took office.
"I finally asked him. I said, 'All the rumors have been going all summer that if you got in, I was gone,' and he said, 'You're the coach and don't worry about rumors,' but I knew that wasn't true when I left that room that day. I told my wife, 'He'll get me at the end of the year,'" Woods said.
Superintendent Neal declined to comment for this story. The district spokesperson released a statement today saying, "Wayne County Schools have made the decision to go in a new direction with some of their athletic programs. At the beginning of this school year, Superintendent Don Neal and the Board of Education increased funding for many of the sports teams in an attempt to be more equitable within the athletic program offerings across the board."
The district spokesperson said Woods was one of many staff members who received non-renewal notices as they approach the end of the school year. She said those notices could be rescinded up until June 30. Woods doesn't expect to be back on the sideline, at least at Wayne County.
"I've heard from two schools wanting to know if I want to coach again! It was funny, I said, 'Don't you have a coach?' 'Uhh, yeah, but if you'll take this job, we won't have one tomorrow!' and I said, 'No!'" Woods said.
