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By Joseph Staszewski
Brooklyn Daily
Stephen Edwards has been fired as Thomas Jefferson High School’s head football coach after six seasons because of a weight room accident back in March, and the move may prevent the Orange Wave from fielding a true varsity team this season.
With Edwards gone — and his trusted assistant coach Gus Cyrus quitting in solidarity — any of the squad’s returning players have considered transferring, or are simply refusing to play for new head man Frederick Nash and his staff, according to team captain Jonathan Troche.
“Losing them is like a slap in the face, because these are guys that really give an arm and leg out for all of us,” Trouche said.
Edwards said principal James Anderson fired him in May because of a weight room injury sustained by rising junior Christian Valles Rivera. Valles Rivera chipped his tooth when he leaned too far down during a workout and was hit in the mouth with a bar while spotting for teammate at a workout, according to Cyrus.
Cyrus, who has handled the bulk of game-day coaching responsibilities, was supervising the workout alone because Edwards was running late because of a flat tire.
Cyrus said Valles Rivera left without telling anyone and he only found out about it when Valles Rivera’s parents came back with their son shortly afterwards to ask what happened, and the matter was deemed an accident. Cyrus didn’t even Edwards about the incident when he arrived because Cyrus felt the situation was cleared up, but Valles Rivera and his parents filed a report with the school later that week.
The incident led to fallout beyond Valles Rivera dental damage because Department of Education rules require that a certified teacher with a file number be present for all team workouts, games and practices. Since Cyrus was a parent coordinator at the school, not a teacher, the workout technically should not have been allowed to start until Edwards arrived.
Still, Edwards feels the events didn’t merit him being fired.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” he said.
“I let the kids in,” said Cyrus. “It was my fault. That’s how we did it.”
Edwards tried to file a grievance through the union, but said they would not take up his case.
Anderson referred all inquiries to the Department of Education, but department spokesperson Margie Feinberg said she could not comment on the incident because it is under investigation.
Troche organized an in-between-period sit-in outside Anderson’s office in May, attended by more than 300 kids, in hopes of getting their coaches back, but to no avail.
Nash, Edwards’ defensive coordinator during his first season, has organized workouts for the team, but they have been under-attended so far, according to Troche. Nash did not return calls seeking comment.
Trouche said he went for the first week of workouts, but the team eventually decided to band together to try and get their old coaching staff back. The Orange Wave had just 33 kids on the varsity roster last season and only 27 on the junior varsity with the season set to open Sept. 7 at home against Boys & Girls. The players say they have no problem losing an entire season for Edwards and Cyrus.
“Most of the captains right now, they are trying to stand strong and miss practice because we want a change,” Trouche said. “If we don’t get a change then I’m sorry. I just can’t play.”
Rising junior running back Eugene Qualls has already chosen to transfer, Edwards said.
Other players, like rising senior offensive lineman Joseph Arroyo, are considering going elsewhere if Edwards isn’t rehired.
“We want him back,” said Arroyo, who may head to Florida.
Thomas Jefferson has been one of the Public School Athletic League’s fastest-rising programs in recent years under Edwards and Cyrus,
The team won the league’s Bowl Division title in 2008 and have since moved up to City Championship division, the league’s top division. Last year the Orange Wave went 6–2 before being upset in the opening round of the playoffs. Jefferson has produced four Division I players on Edwards’s watch, including Ebenezer Ogundeko (now at Clemson) and has a strong record of kids graduating.
The school’s current players are not happy to see their coaches gone.
“They do way more than what is expected,” Trouche said. “Losing them, it kind of hurts.”
Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.