Georgia football coach fired for kicking player in the rear end at a practice
In September, Prep Rally covered the story of Michael Pollock, a head football coach at Americus-Sumter (Ga.) High who was suspended indefinitely for kicking one of his players in the rear end during a practice.
Now he's a former head football coach.
As reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Pollock was officially dismissed from his role at Americus-Sumter after the Sumter County Board of Education voted to terminate the coach's contract. The dismissal ends a successful stint at the school for Pollock, who led the school to the only two winning records in school history; Americus-Sumter finished 7-5 in 2010 and 6-5 in 2011.
The coach, who also had a successful stint leading Valdosta (Ga.) High to a 19-6 overall record in 2000 and 2001, has been suspended since Sept. 14 in connection with the kicking incident, which involved an unnamed Americus-Sumter player at a team practice. The team has been led by offensive coordinator Chris Wade since Pollock's initial suspension and has rattled off three consecutive wins, improving to 4-1 overall in 2012.
Pollock has yet to speak publicly about his official firing, but he expressed dismay to the Albany Herald shortly after his initial suspension, saying that his dismissal would bring disturbing instability to a program he had built up since the school opened in 2004.
"I just feel bad for the kids, the distraction all this has caused. But they've handled it well these last couple of weeks, and I expect they'll continue to handle it well," Pollock said. "So far, though, they've done an outstanding job of maintaining their poise and focus. …
"I'll be at home, listening on the radio, getting updates — just like I was two weeks ago, and just like I was last Friday. I feel like these kids are mine, like we've grown up together. I think the world of them. I just want them to be successful."
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