As of this time, Eric Swords is no longer the head coach of the Lynn Camp High School boys basketball program.
Reports began circulating on social media Tuesday that Swords had been removed from his position as the school’s head basketball coach, and on Wednesday morning Lynn Camp Athletic Director Danny Green confirmed that those reports are true.
“We didn’t feel like the basketball program was going in the direction that we wanted it to go,” Green said in a phone interview Wednesday. “Mr. Pennington (Anthony Pennington, LCHS Principal) made the decision to post an opening for the head coaching job, and has invited Coach Swords to reapply.”
Green said that a meeting took place on Tuesday where he and Pennington made several suggestions to Swords for changes that they would like to see take place within the Wildcats’ basketball program. According to Green, Swords was not receptive to the changes that were suggested. At this point, Green said that Swords was informed of the decision to open up the head coaching position at Lynn Camp and begin exploring other options for the future.
“We met and discussed some changes that could be made to improve the program,” Green explained. “And he (Swords) refused.”
Green said that applications are now being accepted for the vacant basketball head coach position at Lynn Camp, adding that two applicants have already put in for the job. This will be a quick process, however, with interviews planned for the weekend and an announcement pertaining to the hiring of a new head coach expected on Monday, July 20.
“We are going to get this done and remedy the situation,” Green said. “Right now our basketball team has no direction, and that just isn’t fair to the kids.”
Green again stressed that anyone is welcome to apply for the open head coaching position, including Swords, but so far he has declined to do so. In two seasons as the Lynn Camp basketball head coach Swords compiled an overall record of 18-40.
When contacted about the situation Wednesday evening, Coach Swords said that he intends to fight to keep his job, both as a teacher and a coach, at Lynn Camp High School. "This is illegal," he said. "And I am going to fight it, even if I have to go through the courts."
Swords, who was not relieved of his teaching duties at Tuesday’s meeting, has also been serving as the school’s cross country coach. He said that he was told he could still keep that position, but he learned soon thereafter that it had been posted as vacant as well.
As for his refusal to reapply for the basketball head coach position, Swords denied that claim, saying, "I did reapply for the position in May, just like I am supposed to do each year."
Swords declined to comment any further on the situation at this time, but reasserted that his wishes are to remain at Lynn Camp, and he will fight the decision made by school officials to remove him from his position as a head coach at the school.
