Coach Greer: “It was completely unexpected”
By Tim Haslam.
Photo Credit Cecil Copeland.
Earlier this week, Grand Valley State University announced via press release that they had decided to not renew the contract of Head Coach Murle Greer.
“I got a call from the Student Life Director who told me that the team wasn’t interested in renewing my contract for next year,” said Greer. “Basically the explanation I was given was that the team really didn’t approve of my approach to coaching or my coaching style.”
Greer said the call was “completely unexpected” and that there are always problems with the coach and a couple of guys on the team, but Greer was unaware the problems were that severe.
“They said I was too negative and that they wanted to go another direction,” said Greer. “I talked to one of the guys on the team and he said the decision was made by the captains and the board. I know that the team wasn’t fully included in the decision. I talked to a few of the kids who said they had nothing to do with it and knew nothing about it. They wanted someone to get the National Championship and they didn’t feel it was me.”
Greer led the Lakers to the 2008 MCLA D2 National Championship at Texas Stadium but their run was ended short at the hands of the Westminster Griffins. Following the tournament, Greer was named the 2008 MCLA Coach of the Year. The Lakers appeared in the National Tournament this year, but were knocked out in the Quarterfinals by fellow CCLA rival Davenport.
Greer states that run to the National Championship game as his greatest coaching moment of the past three years.
“That entire first year was really something else,” said Greer. “No one knowing who we were, just coming out of no place, the attitude of the team that year was amazing because it was all new to them. We were all doing it together, the coaches and the players. It was a really exciting time for all us because we didn’t really expect to do what we did”
Greer stated he will not be looking to be a Head Coach in the MCLA for at least a couple of years and is hoping to build up youth programs and help out at the local high schools.
When asked if he had any other comments, Greer replied, “I’m a GVSU alumnus, I was on one of the first programs at that school, I still want nothing but the best for Grand Valley and I hope they find whatever it is they are looking for. There are a lot of great kids on that program, I’m still going to be rooting for them and I understand that sometimes things just don’t work out. I’ll have to move forward from here and do what’s best.”
June 26th, 2010 at 9:19 am WordPress 2.9.2
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