Lacrosse coach's dismissal still surrounded by question

By Marty Swant

Published June 6, 2007

The openly gay MU men's lacrosse coach was fired from his position because of job performance, team leaders said.

Coach Kyle Hawkins, who has been with the team for nine years, was fired from the position May 4.

The team gave eight "really dissented reasons" for his release, Hawkins said. Among those reasons were disagreements with coaching strategy and players' feelings that he had a negative reputation.

"The eight reasons they gave me for letting me go are laughable," he said. "I feel that they're throwing up a cloud of gnats."

Karen Mitchell, the team's faculty adviser, said there were more than eight reasons.

"We felt that we wanted to let Kyle know some specific reasons why we didn't renew the contract," she said.

There have been many questions over whether or not Hawkins was fired because of his coaching ability or because of his sexual orientation, but members of the team said the reasons were strictly related to lacrosse.

"Sexuality was never an issue in this," Mitchell said.

Senior Robbie Comrie, who played for the team during the previous four seasons, said the speculation as to Hawkin's sexuality being a factor in his removal from the coaching position is absurd.

"Nobody has ever taken an issue with that," he said.

Hawkins said once the team found out about his sexuality, he saw a visible change in them, such as their choice of words when insulting each other or another team. They were then careful not to use derogatory words.

"I don't think that players typically used those words intending their words to have teeth," he said.

Hawkins said he was not offended by such phrases, but his opinion doesn't mean those words aren't harmful to others.

In September 2004, Hawkins joined a discussion board on Outsports.com, a sports Web site for gay athletes. On the board, he anonymously asked for advice on how to go about being a gay sports coach and whether or not to go public about his sexuality. His entries were signed as "Frustrated Coach."

Hawkins used his real name on the discussion board in June 2006. He hoped to bring together a group of closeted coaches in order to work together to solve their struggles, he said.

Later that month, the Web site caught national attention when Ozzie Guillen called Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti a slur before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Upon hearing this, Hawkins said reporters went in search of finding gay sports players. While searching, they found Outsports and, consequently, found Hawkins' post.

The timing of Hawkins' decision to reveal his sexuality and the timing of his contract renewal last year were close to each other, which raises additional questions about whether or not he came out to save his job.

"It's very strange that he decided to tell the AP about one week, maybe even less than one week, after he found out we were looking for other coaches and possibly even have found one," said Matt Hibler, another member of the lacrosse team.

Hawkins said the press is not his responsibility. He didn't call anyone, but said Mitchell was the one who called ESPN and notified the company of his release.

ESPN had planned to release a story during the lacrosse national championships about Hawkins being an openly gay coach, but before it was released, he was fired.

Hawkins said he was notified of his firing on May 3. The same day, he said, Mitchell called ESPN to tell the network the news. ESPN called him that night and to talk to him about being released. The next day he was fired.

"(Hawkins' sexuality) seems to be the 'convenient' excuse for why he got fired," said senior Matthew Schaller, who also is a player for the club team. "To be honest, whenever it gets inferred or talked about, it makes me extremely irate."

Hibler said Hawkins did not help him improve as a player.

"But one thing I want to make clear is that I wasn't developed as a player at all by him," Hibler said. "I got better from playing against my teammates and training in the off-season."

Players had complained about Hawkins' practice procedures and said they always did the same drills. Hawkins said the players had to do the same drills and practice regimens because sometimes few players showed up for the practices. Hawkins said sometimes there would only be eight players present.

Hawkins' attitude also didn't represent the team well, Comrie said. He said there were some instances in which it didn't seem as though Hawkins was representing MU, the team or anyone present.

Brian Mosher, commissioner of the Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference, said any claims that Hawkins did not represent the program and MU well could not be further from the truth.

Mosher, who has known Hawkins for 10 years, said Hawkins was passionate about lacrosse and especially about the MU lacrosse team. Mosher also said Hawkins was always looking out for all lacrosse players' best interests.

But some players also did not get along with Hawkins.

"He picked on the less experienced players," Schaller said.

Junior team member Patrick Sammons said Hawkins got along with some players, but not with others.

"Kyle's personality just rubbed some people the wrong way," he said.

Comrie said he thought Hawkins got along well with players.

"There was not animosity between the players and coach," he said.

Hawkins said he felt that his relationship with the players was a good, professional relationship.

Two hours after being released from his position as coach, Hawkins was offered the position as coach for KU. Since then, he has also been offered positions at Division II and Division III schools, each coming with full benefits.

Hawkins also mentioned the possibility of a position as the South Regional Officer in England, where he would help with England's national team system. He has not been officially offered this job yet, but he said all job offers are a step above MU.

Although he has contacted a lawyer, Hawkins said he does not plan to file charges.

"What he did was very brave, coming out of the closet like that," Hibler said. "But I feel like his timing was questionable about the whole thing. I do not wish the guy any bad luck or anything. I just don't feel he was a good fit here for the past two or three years."