Kenowa Hills football coach ‘disappointed’ by suspension

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Kenowa Hills High School football coach Don Fellows said he doesn't agree with a decision to suspend him for part of the year, but is working to keep his players focused on the start of the season.

On Monday night, the Kenowa Hills Board of Education called for the termination of athletic director Ross Willick and a two-game suspension for football coach Don Fellows after an investigation.

Two investigative reports that spanned more than 100 pages were handed to News 8 during Monday night’s meeting.

The report from the investigation said that Fellows used inappropriate language with students and taught an all-male strength class that was heavily populated with football players, a Title IX and Michigan Revised School Code violation. 

The class is open to all high school students, regardless of grade and according to the report, “nothing in the curriculum description suggests the class is tailored to the needs of any particular extracurricular activity or sporting activity such as football or any other sport.” 

The report stated that previous investigations showed Fellows used the first hour of the class on Fridays to conduct film reviews with football players. Fellows was instructed to stop by the district’s previous superintendent, Jerry Hopkins. However, the report said a second investigation indicated Fellows continued “misusing the first hour” and guided up to a dozen football players through drills in the gym two or three days a week for around 15 to 20 minutes. 

“It is the conclusion of this investigation that Coach Fellows’ use of the 1st hour Knight Strength Class violates MHSAA guidelines and Board policies,” the report read. “He is using more than four students to conduct football drills in the gymnasium during instructional time. There is nothing indicated in the MHSAA out-of-season coaching regulations that allows a coach to use instructional time for the purpose of football drills, especially ones involving more than four students at a time during instructional time.” 

Nine recommendations were made to the district, including the termination of Willick, a five day unpaid suspension for principal Nathan Robrahn and a two-game suspension for Fellows.

The report recommended Willick’s termination for several reasons, including a “retaliation against participants who cooperated with the investigation” and the failure of addressing concerns brought to him. 

“This interference has created safety issues for student athletes which have been brought to the attention of the Athletic Director, but he took no action to correct this situation,” part of the investigation’s conclusion read. 

In an interview with News 8 Tuesday evening, Fellows said he didn’t agree with the decision of his suspension, but was prepared to move forward. 

“It’s disappointing, right? The timing of it all,” Fellows said. “But our kids have handled it really well. And I think for us as a staff and a program, just focus on the kids and do the best we can.”

Fellows also raised concerns with some of the investigation’s findings. 

“I went through the report and there’s certain things that are accurate and certain things I highly disagree with,” he said. “And some of that is specific comments because those comments didn’t come from our kids. And so it’s from hearsay, or maybe second voices, or someone overheard something.” 

The head coach added that he felt confident in the direction of his program and said the coaches encouraged accountability, but acknowledged room for improvement in communicating with the players. 

“Listen, we’re intense. Football is intense," he said. "Could we probably clean up the language? Yes. We’re not perfect with swearing and that kind of stuff. But we try to address it with our kids too, like, hold us accountable, we hold you accountable. But football is intense. I’m not saying it’s right, I’m not saying we’re perfect, but it’s one of those things where … I don’t think our kids are feeling intimidated by how we talk to them.” 

Fellows acknowledged an alignment with the former superintendent and said he had always worked under the parameters set by the district’s former superintendent, Jerry Hopkins, Robrahn and Willick. He admitted he should have worked more diligently to build a relationship with the current superintendent, Dr. Cherie Horner, to establish a line of communication. 

“We kind of ran with what was laid out for me when I got hired,” he said. “And I think when the change happened, again — that’s when I wish I would’ve gone and met and said, ‘OK, what’s your vision and how are we going to change this?’ And kind of collaborated more as a whole entire group.”

Fellows said he felt Horner was in a difficult spot. Last week, parents called for the superintendent to resign at a special board meeting. A petition requesting for her resignation has more than 460 signatures. 

“And I think she's in a tough position,” he said. “She's coming into a new role. And there's a lot going on here between the facilities and some changes that are being made and a bond coming up.”

Fellows will get to choose the two games to serve his suspension. He will be on the sidelines coaching Kenowa Hills’ week one matchup against the reigning Division 3 state champion, DeWitt. The game will be in Detroit at Wayne State University. 

Fellows reiterated his stance and added he and his team are moving forward. 

“Like I said, I'm not upset. I'm disappointed with how it was handled,” Fellows said. “I think there's other ways to do it. I'm disappointed in the review, because I don't think all of it's accurate, and I don't think they got enough opinions on it. But at the end of the day, it is what it is, and we're moving on.”