March 29, 2024

Ousted PCM coach addresses PCM board, community

When Bret Grier was informed by Prairie City-Monroe Community Schools Athletic Director Greg Bonnett last week that he was being removed from his position as the high school’s head girls’ basketball coach and “involuntarily transferred” to an assistant coaching role on the boys’ team, he publicly addressed his opinion in a post on the PCM Girls Basketball Facebook page.

The former coach claims he was actually fired after district administrators allegedly received unconfirmed complaints about Grier’s performance from parents. He once again addressed his departure in front of the district school board during its Monday night meeting to a standing-room-only crowd in the PCM Middle School library.

Grier guided the Mustangs’ program for the past four seasons. He told the Newton Daily News last week in an email that he was released from his position April 14. The former coach shut down the PCM girls basketball Facebook page the following day.

Grier told the room of more than 50 supporters and observers he would not be returning to coach either PCM boys of girls basketball in the 2015-16 season. He argued the Mustangs 16-8 overall record and 14-4 showing in the Heart of Iowa Conference last season showed the program was moving in a successful direction under his leadership.

Grier addressed Bonnett directly. The former coach detailed the personal history he and Bonnett share, telling a highly personal story about the athletic director’s assistance after a violent seizure Grier experienced during college.

“While the information I placed publicly on Facebook was true to our meeting that night, I’m here to say in public I hold no grudges against you,” Grier said. “I realize you were put in a tough situation between upset parents — whom I had not ever heard from — and following possible advice from other administrators.”

Former students commented on the situation Monday. Joe Gilson, a 2010 PCM graduate, spoke for himself and on behalf his sister Abby Gilson, a former PCM basketball player. He expressed his sister’s admiration for Grier, but conveyed his concern in the high turnover rate of PCM head coaches.

“What is lacking in this discussion is the negative impact this has on the students who attend PCM. As a school district, we are letting our kids down by not providing quality long-term mentors,” Gilson said “...Until the people in this school district get an adequate explanation to the dismissal of Bret Grier, until this report is given to the community, this issue will not go away, and people sitting around this room right now will not let this issue go away.”

PCM 2013 graduate Kaitlyn Wilkie said she was discouraged by the negativity of the discussion online. She empathized with the board and PCM administration’s decision to let Grier go.

“The reason I was finding myself so frustrated was because a majority of these comments were inappropriate and they were coming from people who had no first-hand knowledge of the situation,” Wilkie said. “Sitting in the stands watching basketball games is a lot different than being a player on the bench, on the court or in the huddle, or even in the locker room at practices.”

In an interview following his Facebook post, Grier put blame for his dismissal not just on Bonnett but on PCM Superintendent Jane Babcock, disagreeing with the way she handled the situation.

“Although I met with and spoke to athletic director Greg Bonnett, and he is the person who advised me that I was being involuntarily transferred, I have no doubt the directive to release me of my head coaching duties came from Superintendent Jane Babcock,” Grier said.

“This is the way Jane communicates with people. If a parent or parents complain about a situation, she will have someone take care of it right away. It’s a sad commentary on how things work in situations like this.”

Babcock spoke briefly April 15 via phone interview about the situation and Grier’s social media post. She denied Grier’s claim that he was fired by Bonnett following his private meeting with the former coach.

“There have been no staff terminations processed in the PCM Community School District at this time, and the article appearing on the girls’ basketball Facebook page is inaccurate,” Babcock said on behalf of the school district.

Babcock indicated PCM leadership will have no further comments regarding Grier’s departure. Bonnett also declined to comment. There was no discussion on the topic Monday by either Babcock, Bonnett or the board, which is standard for an issue raised during the public comments portion of a school board meeting.

Grier is a graduate of PCM High School. His father Joel Grier has been a coach in the district for more than 35 years and Bret Grier played for current boys basketball coach Fred Lorensen.

Grier said the district’s transfer offer was to an assistant coaching position with Lorensen and his father Joel on the boys basketball team, but he turned it down.

In his four years at the helm, Grier was 59-33 overall and 49-20 inside the HOIAC. PCM was 15-8 two years ago, 15-7 three seasons ago and 13-10 in Grier’s first year. The team was never worse than fifth in the league, and the Mustangs finished third twice and tied for second this past season.

Grier guided the Mustangs to the regional finals this past year. They lost to then-undefeated No. 1 Mediapolis, whose team consisted of two all-state post players and an all-state guard.

“Parents have crazy unrealistic expectations and desires for their kids and the sports they play, and administrators are put into tough situations like this because people are just plain off-base nuts about sports,” Grier said.

“But if we — teachers, coaches, administrators and school board members — do not advise parents of these unrealistic expectations then we are not doing our part as a school district.”

Before returning home to coach at PCM, Grier coached at Grand View University and Central College.

Grier said he had his side of the situation public via Facebook because he wanted the public to know the entire story.

“I didn’t involuntarily step down, I didn’t resign on my own and I didn’t try to become the boys assistant,” Grier said. “I was fired.”

Contact Mike Mendenhall at
mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com.