CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KERO) — Ron Fleming says he wanted to retire after he was assigned to a special education job position and felt he wasn't qualified. He was told he could not coach boys basketball after retiring, but he wants to coach.
- Fleming says he want to return as coach because he has a vested interest in the players.
- Fleming has been at California City High School for nine years and has coached boys basketball for seven seasons with two CIF section championships.
- Mojave Unified School District Superintendent Katherine Aguirre says they are in the process of hiring a new coach.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Ron Fleming tells me it's not "Game Over".
He says he still wants to coach the Cal City High School boys' basketball team... but has been told he can't... because he recently retired.
I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter.
Fleming says it was a verbal notice that he retired and has yet to fill out the paperwork.
"It breaks my heart to be on the outside and listening to stories of who they're trying to play for, where they're trying to play," Fleming says.
Fleming tells me he retired from Cal City High a couple of weeks ago because he said he wasn't qualified to work in special education as he was assigned. That meant he had to step down as coach because of the retirement system.
However, he says he has yet to sign the papers for retirement.
"Technically, I can coach. But they have to figure out do they want me here," Fleming says.
A parent who did not want to be named told me the team was told that Mychal Fimbres would be the new coach but that is no longer the case. Another parent told me there were complaints involving Fimbres.
In an email, Superintendent Katherine Aguirre tells me the Mojave Unified School District is in the process of hiring a new coach, but added they cannot comment on personnel matters.
She did say that Fimbres is no longer a sub at the school.
Some parents want Fleming to coach the team again.
"He deserves to be the coach here. … There's a lot more that goes into Coach Ron than just coaching basketball," says Rachel Baker, whose son played for Fleming.
"He's like a father figure to some of these kids. I'm also a single mom, raising my kids on my own. He's kind of like a Dad to these kids. He teaches them things. He tells them about life. Not just about basketball, but life in general," Coco Keith, a parent, said.
Fleming worked at Cal City High School for nine years, coaching basketball for seven seasons. He says he'll be fine whatever happens, but he wants to coach.
"I know who I am. I'm confident in who I am and what I do. I'm not bragging … If I was I would have come out here with two championship rings instead of one," Fleming says.
Cal City is scheduled to play in the AV Classic tournament on November 19th.
I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter.
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