Softball Coach Fired Because Adults Drank Alcohol at His Home

The softball coach at Walkersville High School in Maryland was fired because he hosted a team party where alcohol was consumed -- even though the alcohol wasn't his, he didn't drink any, and the people who did drink alcohol were adults, not high school students.

The coach, Brad Young, invited his players and their parents to his home for a cookout to celebrate a successful season, in which they won the Maryland 2A Western Region title. Young didn't serve alcohol, but when some parents brought their own, he didn't stop them from drinking it. And that, apparently, is enough to get a coach who from all accounts does his job well fired and banned from coaching for three years.

The school district's spokeswoman wouldn't comment beyond confirming to the local newspaper that the coach's contract hasn't been renewed:

"Right now, that matter has come before the attention of the superintendent," spokeswoman Marita Loose said. "The school system is investigating the issue internally for the superintendent and the school board."

Loose confirmed that Young and Burgee have a meeting scheduled to discuss the termination. She said she could not address questions because it a personnel issue.

"Coaches' contracts are subject to annual renewal," Loose wrote in an e-mail Monday. "In this case, the contracts for '09-'10 have not been renewed."

This, of course, is ridiculous. The school district needs to reverse this silly decision and bring the coach back next year.