BUCYRUS — The future of the Bucyrus Lady Redmen’s basketball team is once again up in the air.
Brittanie Ulmer, the girls’ basketball coach who was hired in late summer of last year, received a letter from Superintendent Matt Chrispin stating that he wasn’t going to recommend the renewal of her contract after an anonymous letter was received by the administration stating that a student had been seen in Ulmer’s car and apartment.
“On May eleventh, I received a letter from Matt Chrispin that stated this: ‘Dear Miss Ulmer, This letter is to inform you that I have decided not to recommend you for the position of head girls varsity basketball coach.’” Ulmer began. “I would never do anything I was asked not to. I have not done anything illegal or anything I have been told not to. I have had little to no guidance this year, that is why I am planning to meet with Coach Egan and come up with an improvement plan. I want to coach this team and these girls; I believe something good is just now starting. In conclusion, my greatest question from reflection of this is, ‘how can it be that the perception of someone in any anonymous letter can be more important than the perception of the players, parents, and people in this room that know me personally. While I hear you say perception is reality, from this anonymous letter, I would contend that the reality of these families that have trusted me with their daughters and my coaching staff, provided is worth more than a mere grievance of someone who has claimed to have stalked me in my personal time.”
Ulmer ended her speech by stating that she looks forward to continuing to be a coach in the Bucyrus City School District. “I ask for your support to be a part of the program and continue to learn how to be a better person and coach,” Ulmer said.
Aside from Ulmer, others who know her well spoke on her behalf.
Karmyn Blizzard, a senior next year, questioned why the board would go looking for another head coach when the program already has one who is willing to invest her time into it and the girls. Blizzard also stated that not only has Ulmer helped them grow as players, but as individuals as well.
Craig Orewiler, middle school basketball coach, also spoke on Ulmer’s behalf. “Coach Ulmer and the whole ladies’ coaching staff has had a very diverse year, starting with the late hiring of coach, we missed all last summer. She had been put in a very tough spot from the start with dealing practices due to COVID — considering whether we were going to have a season or not — losing a varsity assistant, dealing with false accusations on her integrity, dealing with losing four ladies due to injuries, and now dealing with the renewal. Coach has done an outstanding job of handling all of this adversity as it has been one rough year for her,” Orewiler began. “If there is a worry of a coach spending too much time with our players, we are all guilty. I spend a lot of time on Saturdays, before practice, and after practice. I’ve taken girls home from practice before—late night, mom and dad work late —I’ve even stopped and got a kid something to eat because it’s such a late night and to make sure the kids eat right because, at the end of the day, my main concern is these guys and their wellbeing.”
“I’ve always treated all of my future, past, and present girls as my girls and that’s just the way it is. Coach Ulmer has the same philosophy, and she has embraced it. Spending time with our girls is what we need here in Bucyrus — a coach and athlete relationship is no different than a teacher and student relationship. We have only got a couple of years to work with these kids and offer them a lifetime of life lessons, work ethics, teamwork, and commitment, and she offers that. By not renewing her is a huge loss for our Redmen community,” Orewiler finished his speech to the board.
Tonya Kimmel also addressed the board. “She encourages all of the girls in the program to get better. She makes the girls want to get better, she has made them better teammates, she never gave up while coaching the girls, even if we were down 92-2. She has gone to softball games to support our girls; she has attended elementary boys’ and girls’ basketball games to support our younger athletes. Coach Ulmer has gone above and beyond building relationships and trust with the girls in the program.”
After roughly a thirty-minute executive session, board member Christa Graves made the motion to renew Ulmer’s contract, but there was no second, leaving the motion to die on the floor and the girls without a head coach again.
“We appreciate Miss Ulmer’s efforts over the past year in coaching our girls. We wish her the best in future endeavors,” Mr. Chrispin said. “Meanwhile, recently appointed athletic director Matt Makeever will begin a search immediately for our next head coach. I expect he will conduct a timely and thorough process to fill the position.”
Also at the meeting, the Bucyrus Lady Redmen’s softball team was honored for being N10 champs with a 17-4 record and a 14-2 conference record. Individual honors included Caleigh Rister and Jade Torres with 1st Team All-Conference, Ashley Davis with Honorable Mention All-Conference, Caleigh Rister was N10 Player of the Year, and Coach Jerry Hargis was N10 Coach of the Year.
Out of the forty schools in Division III, the Bucyrus Lady Redmen came in fifth academically with a cumulative GPA of 3.81. There were nine 4.0 students on the softball team this season.
Several repair projects were approved including repairs of the BES Northside steps, repairing the concrete drive at Lincoln, installing bleacher pads at BSS baseball field, concrete repairs to the Lincoln Building entrance, asphalt crack sealing, and catch basin work.
The next board of education meeting is on June 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Administrative Center and on YouTube.