On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, Louisiana’s Grambling State University Tigers fired their new women’s volleyball coach, Chelsey Lucas, because of her decision to cut all the volleyball players on the team immediately after she took the job.
As a 2007 Grambling University graduate, she was familiar with the volleyball program.
However, her recent decisions have tainted whatever good impression she may have left.
Dropping all 19 players form the roster was a big issue.
“The decision was made due to the determination of an internal investigation within the volleyball program,” the school said in a statement, when they initially supported Lucas’s behavior.
Whenever the school beat another team, they have a chant where they say the B-word at the end, Sheila Borders informed the media. She thought that the coach thought they were calling her the B-word, but they say it everywhere, so it’s nothing personal.
This seemed to really upset coach Lucas. As a result, she used her training sessions as a form of punishment rather than practicing drills for next seasons.
She then grew tired of all the girls on the team, although she pleaded some to stay – the ones who earned scholarships, who all rejected her offer.
“There were girls that … I gave them reasons of why that you would no longer be a part of Grambling State University program, and there were young ladies, there were student-athletes that I asked, that I asked, ‘I want you to be a part of this program,” she said.
As this issue garnered more attention from the media, more people became upset at the new female coach’s absurd ideals.
Dr. Trayvean Scott, Grambling State’s vice president for intercollegiate athletics, said, “The success of student athletes and their ability to matriculate at Grambling State University is the top priority.”
After saying this, he brought the dropped students back onto the roster, the walk-ons, and those who received scholarships.
Grambling State president Rick Gallot added, “It is the responsibility of this institution to make sure that student-athletes are afforded opportunities in a manner compliant with all regulatory organizations. That applies to athletics as much as it does to academics.”
Sources cited:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658070605903x665797506476225200/Grambling%20State%20fires%20Chelsey%20Lucas%2C%20volleyball%20coach%20who%20cut%20entire%20team%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/34198422/grambing-state-tigers-fire-chelsey-lucas-wake-newly-hired-coach-decision-cut-volleyball-players-scholarship
As a 2007 Grambling University graduate, she was familiar with the volleyball program.
However, her recent decisions have tainted whatever good impression she may have left.
Dropping all 19 players form the roster was a big issue.
“The decision was made due to the determination of an internal investigation within the volleyball program,” the school said in a statement, when they initially supported Lucas’s behavior.
Whenever the school beat another team, they have a chant where they say the B-word at the end, Sheila Borders informed the media. She thought that the coach thought they were calling her the B-word, but they say it everywhere, so it’s nothing personal.
This seemed to really upset coach Lucas. As a result, she used her training sessions as a form of punishment rather than practicing drills for next seasons.
She then grew tired of all the girls on the team, although she pleaded some to stay – the ones who earned scholarships, who all rejected her offer.
“There were girls that … I gave them reasons of why that you would no longer be a part of Grambling State University program, and there were young ladies, there were student-athletes that I asked, that I asked, ‘I want you to be a part of this program,” she said.
As this issue garnered more attention from the media, more people became upset at the new female coach’s absurd ideals.
Dr. Trayvean Scott, Grambling State’s vice president for intercollegiate athletics, said, “The success of student athletes and their ability to matriculate at Grambling State University is the top priority.”
After saying this, he brought the dropped students back onto the roster, the walk-ons, and those who received scholarships.
Grambling State president Rick Gallot added, “It is the responsibility of this institution to make sure that student-athletes are afforded opportunities in a manner compliant with all regulatory organizations. That applies to athletics as much as it does to academics.”
Sources cited:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658070605903x665797506476225200/Grambling%20State%20fires%20Chelsey%20Lucas%2C%20volleyball%20coach%20who%20cut%20entire%20team%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/34198422/grambing-state-tigers-fire-chelsey-lucas-wake-newly-hired-coach-decision-cut-volleyball-players-scholarship
