Tim King’s coaching again: Power of the people ain’t dead yet
Onthe same alliterative boat rides the perils of a pandemic and pathetic path of partisan politics. It's enough to give us all pervasive paralysis. As in: Does what we say or do even count anymore? Sure feels as though this new abnormal defies a fundamental principle that our framers, in their best Ron Burgundy, thought was kind of a big deal: That all our voices count.
And then along comes Tim King to show us all over again that the power of the people ain't dead yet.
It turns out that King, who is so much more than a football coach ... is so much more than a football coach. His recent travails — and the subsequent outpouring of outrage, support and inspiration in his defense — underscores the power of unity. Amazing what happens when we're willing to toss our egos into the pond and work together for what's right, isn't it?
What's right, in this case, was to ensure that King remain the coach of the Valley Regional/Old Lyme co-op program, which he's run quite successfully and popularly for 22 years.
King's kerfuffle began last week when the Region 4 Board of Education informed him that he could either resign or be fired over his alleged involvement with an independent club team featuring players from his program. Parents and players called King's involvement tangential at best, belying the severity of the punishment. Kids, parents, colleagues, friends and many others in two communities and beyond rallied to support the most popular guy in town.
Nearly 3,000 signatures adorned a petition in support of King. There was a protest Sunday in Deep River outside the Board of Education offices. Several newspaper articles were written on the subject. Social media sizzled. And every voice counted.
Region 4 issued a press release Monday night announcing it had rescinded its request to dethrone King.
"Through discussion, we have come to an understanding about the extent of the coach's involvement in an independent team of Region 4 football players," the release said. "Coach King does understand as a role model, the concerns about community perception regarding his involvement with this team.
"We both understand and accept that as educators and professionals we have a special responsibility to our students, staff and community during a pandemic and that we must place safety above all else. It is in this spirit, that the request for Coach King to resign from the position of
head football coach has been rescinded."
Loosely translated, that's 102 words that mean "we screwed up, but we have to word this so we can — at least in our minds — save face."
Whatever. The point isn't merely that this charade ended happily, but the noteworthy manner in which it happened.
It's testimony to how the Golden Rule got golden.
Tim King has treated everybody in his path with decency, earnestness and humor for more than 20 years. When he needed the troops, they came to him via multitudes. Roosevelt charged up San Juan Hill 122 years before King's Cavalry charged up Kelsey Hill.
With every little voice contributing to the community bullhorn.
Bet not all of the 2,884 people who signed the petition in King's favor share the same opinions — political and otherwise — about life in general. But they found something bigger to believe in and spoke in one declarative voice. Hmmm.
Might we glean a more universal lesson from this, or should be just go back to yelling at each other?
King's voice was heard Tuesday with equal parts gratitude and relief.
"I'm humbled by the outpouring," he said. "I'm glad we can put this behind us and move forward."
He didn't want to say much else. But then, he didn't need to. Two communities said it for him.