The official head coach for Crenshaw Excessive’s soccer workforce stays Robert Garrett although he’s been barred from attending video games on Los Angeles Unified Faculty District property since Aug. 21, when he was positioned on administrative depart.
His long-time assistant and Crenshaw grad, Terrence Whitehead, took over as interim coach the week earlier than the opening sport. He and assistants skilled by Garrett since they have been adolescents have the Cougars at 10-1 and enjoying for the Metropolis Part Open Division title towards top-seeded Carson at 6 p.m. Saturday at L.A. Southwest School.
“I think he’s doing an outstanding job from where he’s been put,” Garrett mentioned.
Garrett mentioned it’s no shock what Crenshaw has achieved with 14 of 18 gamers coming back from a workforce final season that misplaced by a single level within the opening spherical of the Division I playoffs to No. 1-seeded Eagle Rock. Add standout linebacker De’Andre Kirkpatrick to that group together with others and you’ve got Crenshaw searching for its seventh Metropolis title.
“My thoughts are you win ballgames from January through July when you meet daily and go over fundamentals, skills and get bigger, stronger and faster. You win it in the weight room,” Garrett mentioned.
Garrett mentioned he has spoken to Whitehead weekly and seen video games that have been streamed. However he has no intention of attending Saturday’s sport.
Crenshaw coach Robert Garrett has been on administrative depart since August.
(Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Occasions)
“I’ll be sitting in front of a TV watching USC versus UCLA,” he mentioned.
Garrett praised Kirkpatrick, a switch from eight-man energy Animo Robinson who he met final spring and summer time.
“He’s by far a Division I player,” he mentioned of the 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior. “You can’t coach size. He has good attitude. Doesn’t cuss, doesn’t fuss and doesn’t hang out. It doesn’t come from me or anyone coaching him. All we can do is motivate him and encourage him to do better.”
To say Garrett is fed up with LAUSD is an understatement. There was no celebration of the best achievement by a soccer coach in Metropolis Part historical past. Crenshaw’s 10 wins give him 300 profession victories since 1988, which places him in Corridor of Fame territory.
“I’m going to coach somewhere, somehow,” he mentioned. “I was born to coach. I’m a helluva coach. Nobody gave me that and nobody can take it away.”
Garrett mentioned he has by no means been instructed what’s being investigated the final 4 months.
“I’m going to coach again. I’m going to get out of the house real soon because I’m an American citizen,” he mentioned.
He continues to obtain full pay whereas staying residence and ready to be cleared. As soon as LAUSD begins an investigation, it might probably final greater than a yr. Former Huntington Park basketball coach Joe Reed returned this yr after 14 months on administrative depart after a parental criticism.
“I haven’t been told anything,” Garrett mentioned. “All I’ve been told is we’re investigating. It doesn’t matter what happens because whatever they tell me what they are investigating, they will find no wrongdoing whatsoever.”
Garrett is writing a guide. He mentioned he was the primary from his Jefferson Excessive graduating class of 1977 to earn a school diploma. His mom was one in every of 18 siblings and each had six or extra children. He graduated from Nebraska’s Concordia College in 1981 with a give attention to instructing and has a Lutheran instructing certificates. He may very well be a pastor if he wished to.
“I’m not a coach, I’m an educator,” he mentioned. “I’m the first in my family to get a college degree. You don’t know what I’ve been through and what I’ve seen.”
He supplied phrases of knowledge for Thanksgiving: “Always do thy duty, which is best, leave unto the Lord the rest.”
You’ve heard the road, “Win one for the Gipper.” Now it’s, “Win one for The G Man.”
