‘He should be here.’ West Charlotte High parents call for suspended football coach’s return
West Charlotte High School football players worked out on their newly renovated field Thursday morning, but for the fourth consecutive practice, their head coach remained absent.
Lions head coach Sam Greiner awaits the conclusion of a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools investigation into allegations of child misconduct and recruiting violations, The Charlotte Observer first reported Wednesday night. He was suspended with pay on July 26, CMS spokeswoman Cassandra Fambro confirmed.
“He should be here,” Julie Vidal, the mother of sophomore Donnell Wilson, told the Observer. “Our kids don’t know anything.”
After learning of Greiner’s suspension, and after talking to their children, some West Charlotte parents decided to draw up a petition with the hope of getting a man who’s like “a second father” back to the team, Vidal said.
“He’s just that male role model that they need,” she said. “It brings in a brotherhood within the team.”
As parents dropped off their children at practice Thursday, Vidal and others went up to their vehicles their cars to ask them to sign the petition. So far, an online petition has over 220 signatures and the paper one has “quite a few,” according to Vidal.
“It’s good that a lot of people see what’s going on, see the changes and see that we just want the best for our kids,” she said.
Greiner, who has been a co-host on the Observer’s “Talking Preps” streaming show, propelled the Lions to a 7-4 record in his first season, leading them to the second round of the playoffs last year. Prior to Greiner’s tenure, the school had just one winning season in eight years.
In April, however, CMS announced that West Charlotte would forfeit all 11 of its games because of an ineligible player, the Observer previously reported.
‘Behind coach Greiner 100%’
Greiner is facing accusations from at least one former coach, an alumnus and a booster, the Observer reported Wednesday night. According to an independent source, he is being investigated for recruiting players outside the district.
The misconduct accusations stem from Greiner not allowing players water breaks during preseason practices and not providing enough rest periods during extreme heat, the source said.
Vidal and Toni Boyce said they and other parents have spoken to their children and are “behind coach Greiner 100%.”
“Greiner has been wonderful,” Boyce said.
The parents’ petition also calls on school district officials to allow the team to play at the high school’s renovated field — something they did not get to do last year. A CMS spokesperson told the Observer that the school’s parking lot will not be completed in time for the season.
The Lions will play their home games at Waddell High — 20 minutes away from the West Charlotte campus.
Meeting with CMS
After Thursday’s practice, Vidal and other parents went to CMS headquarters on Stuart Andrew Boulevard to give district officials letters from their children advocating for Greiner. They weren’t allowed into the building and security told them to leave, Vidal said.
Fambro, the CMS spokesperson, told the Observer she would look into Vidal’s claim.
Vidal said instead of delivering the letters and petitions to CMS Athletic Director Ericia Turner and Interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh, the parents are going to email them.
Before a decision is made about Greiner’s employment, parents want to have a meeting with CMS officials, according to Vidal. “We would like you to at least hear what we have say,” she said.
Staff writer Langston Wertz Jr. contributed to this story.
This story was originally published August 4, 2022 at 4:26 PM.
