Well, as the 2019-2020 high school basketball season is upon us, a reoccurring trend is seemingly taking place at Duarte High school, yet again. Another Duarte High school basketball coach has been fired. Michael Sullivan was let go this past week for reasons the administration has yet to disclose. After speaking to Coach Sullivan, it is his belief that he was let go for standing up to one of the school's previous Athletic Director's, now current, P.E. teacher regarding safety issues. "Heavy volleyball poles were left in the gym against the wall unattended without restraints. I'm just concerned for the students as they were sitting right next to the poles. All we need is for one of the poles to fall on one of our students", stated Coach Sullivan. This was just part of the ongoing issues with the gym being used for things other than the school's basketball or volleyball team practices or games. The Duarte High school gym is one of the older gyms in the San Gabriel Valley area, but has a look and feel of a "Coach Carter Movie." I believe it could be a great place for students to build school spirit and morale! Some of the problems Coach Sullivan felt he faced on a daily basis were that he was alone in trying to keep the gym and basketball facilities up to playing and practicing condition. "It really didn't seem like anyone really cared if the gym or maintenance was kept up for these students. I swept and wet mopped the floor daily." After the Coach placed several complaints to administration and to his Athletic Director regarding these issues with the gym and P.E. not helping in keeping the facilities cleaned, he was let go for what he explained as, "standing up for the students to a person who uses their previous authority of being the Athletic Director to bully previous and current coaches." As always, it's the students who suffer in these situations, especially with the start of the new basketball season starting in less than three weeks. I'm not sure how this helps the players be mentally ready for a season that they thought they would have under Coach Sullivan and now have to start all over with another coach, if the school can even find one this late and close to season starting! "I am the twelfth coach fired in 16 years." If all twelve were bad coaches, then they deserve to be fired! But on the other hand, if all twelve coaches were bad, then we have to question who are the ones hiring these coaches? There's always three sides to a story, both arguing sides and the truth! Well, the truth is, more Duarte High students will be without a coach, yet again!