UPDATED: Hazen basketball coach James Olive fired

Published 10:49 am Tuesday, December 14, 2010

As the Hazen boys basketball coach, James Olive gave hundreds of speeches to his team in the locker room. He never imagined his final one would be through a cell phone set on speaker.

Olive was fired Monday after a series of miscommunications led to the Hazen team participating in a jamboree Nov. 27 without the proper number of practices. Unable to attend practice Monday night, he spoke to the team by phone to inform them of the situation.

“I told them to keep their heads up; the game is bigger than me and this season is bigger than me,” Olive said. “They need to keep striving for their goals; they’re not going to get this time back.”

The Highlanders missed practices Nov. 22-24 because the Renton School District canceled activities due to snow. Olive asked for a waiver so the team could play at the jamboree at Chief Sealth Nov. 27 without the 10 practices needed to compete in a game. He was under the impression the waiver would go through, while Renton School District spokesman Randy Matheson said no such waiver exists and the district therefore denied the request.

Hazen played at the jamboree and went on to start the season 2-1 until Olive was suspended late last week before the Highlanders’ game against Kennedy Catholic Dec. 10. Hazen lost 89-85.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Nancy Magar, mother of senior guard R.J. Magar. “Why would they do something like this before the biggest game of the year?”

While parents are upset the district wasn’t looking out for the players, Matheson said firing Olive was the best course of action to ensure the team could continue play this season.

“Not making this change would put their season in jeopardy under WIAA rules,” he said. “We believe it’s in the best interest of the program and the students to move forward with a different coach.”

WIAA Executive director Mike Colbrese declined to speak further about the situation in an e-mail and wrote, “At this time this is a school district and league issue.”

Matheson said it was “the opinion of the district” that Olive’s actions would put the team in danger of becoming ineligible and that Olive knew the risk he was taking by allowing his team to play in the jamboree.

Olive said he wouldn’t knowingly take such a risk.

“I would never put my program in jeopardy over a jamboree,” Olive said. “This was our season. We’ve worked up to this point to get here and now it’s here, and I don’t get to be a part of their lives anymore. I don’t get to be their coach.”

Matheson said the district informed Olive of other days he could use to get in the required amount of practices before the weekend, one of which was on Thanksgiving Nov. 25. Olive acknowledged receiving that information but had issues with scheduling a practice on Thanksgiving Day.

“That’s a problem because it’s Thanksgiving and most of my kids are with their families,” he said. “Even if I do hold a practice, I’m not going to get everybody there, and they still won’t be eligible.”

At that point, after talking with Hazen athletic director Anita Jose, Olive said he thought the waiver was still being considered and would go through.

Before the 2009-2010 season Olive allowed Nathan Guy to play in a preseason jamboree and was found to be in violation of the rules. Guy, a junior who had transferred from Renton High School, was still going through the appeals process to become eligible. Guy played the season on junior varsity and now plays for Lakes High School.

With two incidents regarding pre-season jamborees, Matheson said Olive showed a pattern of not following guidelines, which also played into the determination of a punishment.

In his fourth season, Olive had turned Hazen from a 4-17 team in his first year to an 11-9 team last year. This year, the team is loaded with experienced juniors and seniors ready to make a run.

“This was supposed to be our great year,” said junior guard Frankie Johnson. “No disrespect to any other coach, but we always say we have all the pieces to the puzzle, and now we’re missing the biggest piece, our coach.”

Monday night had an eery feeling for Olive, who’s used to spending every evening in the gym with his team.

“I feel very disconnected, I feel like my right arm has been taken from me,” he said. “It’s like a big part of my life is missing now.”

But Olive isn’t done watching the team he helped form.

“I might not be those kids’ coach in the bench, but I’m going to be their biggest supporter in the stands,” he said. “It’s not about me, not about my ego, it’s about those kids.”

Replacement coach for Highlanders

Hazen teacher Gary Schaplow will replace Olive as the head basketball coach. Schaplow previously coached the boys varsity team at Hazen in the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 seasons.

“He’s been to Hazen games numerous times and he knows what people’s roles are,” said senior guard R.J. Magar. “So he’s not just some guy out of nowhere, which will help.”

Hazen entered a Wednesday night game against Evergreen at 2-2 overall and 1-1 in Seamount play. The Highlanders face Highline Friday night.