February 8, 2011

Mr. Albert B. Gordon Jr., President Ms. Lucy Abisalih, Vice President Mr. Geoffrey P. Clear, Treasurer Mr. Bruce M. MacNeil, Secretary Members of the Lawrence Academy Board of Trustees

Dear Board of Trustees:

As concerned parents, we would like to respectfully request a meeting with you to discuss some major concerns we have with the leadership and mismanagement of the athletics program – concerns that have been ongoing since last June, that brought unnecessary negative attention to the Lawrence Academy football program throughout the season, that put undue stress on our players and parents, that recently led to the resignation of Mike Taylor as Head Coach of the football program, and that, if left unattended to, will result in long-term negative implications for our school.

We addressed our concerns with Head of School, Scott Wiggins, this year, through exchanges of emails and a meeting of parents and school administrators. The matter at hand is the deficient, ineffective performance of Athletic Director, Kathy Noble, her complete lack of any relationship with students and parents, and the administration’s continued support of her as Athletic Director. The manner in which she executes her job has also affected and will continue to affect other athletic disciplines, as well as Lawrence Academy’s student body and community as a whole.

We feel that a call for change is warranted. There are many factors from which to look at the multi-layered problems Lawrence Academy is faced with in conjunction with our concerns. There is the concern for our students’ safety as athletes, the displeasure amongst students and parents alike due to the ineffectiveness and obstructive nature of the Athletic Director, Kathy Noble, and the potential for economic consequences.

As parents of Lawrence Academy student athletes, we entrust the safety and care of our sons on the football field to the Athletic Director. We have deep concerns about how the current leadership and mismanagement of the Athletic Department put the safety of our sons at risk both before and during the season. While there are numerous concerns to mention, we will focus on those that are most glaring and leave even the person with limited knowledge of football to ask, “Why?”

In previous years, Lawrence Academy allowed Captain’s practice to take place in early August on campus. All the other ISL schools allow this practice. This past year, our Athletic Director, Kathy Noble, refused to allow them. Similarly, she denied the football team use of the weight room. By denying practice opportunities and facilities use, she put the boys at risk by compromising preparation for the physical demands of the game. It should be noted that Ms. Noble solicited Coach Taylor for the funds to build a new weight room. These funds were not insignificant. After Ms. Noble denied the team use of the existing weight room, Coach Taylor withdrew his offer.

During practices, Ms. Noble instructed that water bottles not be provided on the field but that the boys would need to interrupt practice to come off the field for water. This is a serious hydration issue. Boys who are leaner and have less body fat need water more frequently than their larger teammates to prevent cramping and other injuries. If they all had access to water bottles on the field to re-hydrate as needed,

practice could continue uninterrupted and boys wouldn’t feel compelled to “tough it out” until it was time for a water break. Again, one is left to ask, “Why take the chance?”

The boys were very fortunate to be coached by Mike Morris, former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 7 years prior to coming to Lawrence Academy. One assumes that he has significant expertise. Yet, Ms. Noble instructed the team not to do static stretching. The consequences of not doing static stretching include: back, neck, and head injuries, pulled quadriceps and hamstrings, and broken hips, to name a few. Our understanding is that the boys stretched. There was not one stretching-related injury during the season. The current trainer hired by Ms. Noble has contradicted Coach Morris’ advice, and the boys are confused and rightfully concerned. It is unclear to us parents what his qualifications are and why there is conflicting advice.

Perhaps the largest safety concern of all results from this year’s conflicts within the ISL about scoring and LA’s response to it. As we are all aware, other ISL schools expressed concern about the talent of the LA team and the lopsided scores against opponents. LA leadership and administration directed that there be a score cap the football team would not surpass. Ms. Noble enforced it. In order to assuage the concerns of other Heads of Schools and their Athletic Directors, LA varsity players were taken out of games early. After Mr. Wiggins and Ms. Noble conferred, Ms. Noble directed Coach Taylor to pull his starters at the end of the first quarter at the Noble and Greenough game. This was in full view of many of the LA players and the fans. Freshmen and sophomores were sent into play against opposing Varsity players at several games. These were 15 and 16 year old boys playing against 17 and 18 year olds. Opposing teams did not take out their Varsity players, who were more skilled and experienced than our JV players, when LA changed squads. Again, “Why put them at risk?”

The concern for our JV players being pitted against skilled, experienced Varsity players was compounded by the fact that the JV football players only played 4 games all season out of the 8 that were scheduled. One game simply was never confirmed by the Athletics Office. These pre-season decisions, the regular season game-time manipulations, the inept scheduling of games and buses, are alarming instances of mismanagement by the Athletic Director and they clearly were not in the best interest of our boys or the school.

Of course we are upset about losing an amazing football coach who has also been a wonderful role model, but putting emotions aside, we are also very concerned with the financial consequences that come with the decision to accept the resignation of Mike Taylor. As you are aware, Mike Taylor not only put Lawrence Academy on the map with the football program but also supports the school financially with his generous contributions over the years. Mike draws no salary or stipend and contributes to both the capital/special gifts and annual funds. Through his leadership and by his actions and deeds, parents respect Mike Taylor and thus respect Lawrence Academy. We are asking the Board to consider what effect Mike Taylor's resignation would have on other donors. We are gravely concerned that this move would result in the loss of significant revenues, thus affecting capital and operating budgets, financial aid, and an endowment still recovering from a battered economy. The net result of all of this significantly impacts the quality of a Lawrence Academy education. We ask the Board to consider the long-term ramifications of the decision to accept Coach Taylor's resignation. We also ask that the Board recognize that the parents are the customers who pay the bills and raise money and currently, the customers who are unhappy represent 25% of the student population.

Writing this letter to you, the Lawrence Academy Board of Trustees, is not something we take lightly. It is our sincere hope that the Board of Trustees takes these concerns to heart, closely examines how the Athletic Department is being run, assures the safety of all of its student athletes, and takes the necessary steps to maintain an excellent athletics program.

We are respectfully requesting a meeting at your earliest convenience and ask that no further staffing actions be taken until all issues have been fully vetted.

Sincerely,

Concerned LA Parents