LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — Two long-time athletic coaches filed a lawsuit against the school system they once promoted, on grounds of wrongful discharge and age discrimination.

Former North Laurel High School Girls’ Basketball Coach Roy Bowling and Assistant Girls Basketball Coach Rex Fredericks filed the suit in Laurel Circuit Court on May 4, claiming they were wrongfully discharged as coaches in 2011,  part of which was due to age discrimination. The lawsuit was filed by Hyden attorney, Cheryl U. Lewis.

Bowling and Fredericks have extensive countywide coaching history. Fredericks was head basketball coach at Hazel Green High School and also coached at London Junior High School when the school systems consolidated in 1970. Fredericks worked for the Laurel County School District from 1954 to 2011.

Bowling has been named District No. 3 National Coach of the Year three times as well as Kentucky Coach of the Year three times. He led the Lady Cardinals of then-Laurel County High School to three state championship titles. After retiring from teaching and coaching, he came back as head coach for the NLHS girls’ basketball team.

But incidents occurring in early 2011 created a rift between the two coaches and school officials, resulting in Bowling and Fredericks being terminated from the school district’s employment roster in May 2011.

Bowling and Frederick were the head coaches of the girls’ basketball team in January 2011 when some of the top players on the team were suspended for violating school and team rules.

Though Bowling had the impression the girls would be suspended for several games, then allowed to return to finish the season, he was notified two weeks later that the girls would not return the rest of that school year. Bowling voiced concern disciplinary actions for similar incidents at South Laurel High School involving student athletes had not been as severe. The girls’ suspensions from the team attracted local news media, which Bowling allegedly remained positive in public comments concerning the incident. Despite a loss in the first round of district play, Bowling planned to return for the 2011-2012 season as coach, with Fredericks as the assistant head coach.

On April 12, Bowling indicated to North Laurel High School Principal Mike Black he intended to remain as head coach for the girls’ basketball team the following year, with Black indicating this would be done.

However, on April 14, then-Superintendant David Young reportedly said he would fire Black if Bowling and Fredericks were not fired. The following day, Black asked Bowling for resignations from both he and Fredericks, to which Bowling refused, according to the lawsuit.

This banter between school officials and Bowling continued until Bowling was asked to come to then-Assistant Superintendant Greg Smith’s office, where Smith read four charges against Bowling and Fredericks. That conversation was recorded, at which time Bowling stated he was not aware of any complaints against him prior to that day. The charges included Bowling and/or Fredericks ordering without a purchase order, giving student information to the media, having unauthorized visitors in the gym, and taping students without the principal’s permission. Bowling denied knowledge of these charges and once again refused to resign.

The lawsuit states Young contacted Bowling on April 28, telling him and Fredericks to resign or be fired, making statements that Bowling needed to retire and enjoy the remainder of his life. Young reportedly made a similar statement several days later during a conversation with Bowling, indicating that he needed to retire and “do things he wanted to do.”

Young reportedly gave Bowling until May 31 to resign and when Bowling again refused, he received a signed letter from Young on May 6 informing him that neither he nor Fredericks would be rehired for the 2011-2012 school year.

The lawsuit asks for both compensatory and punitive damages, an injunction re-instating them as coaches with back pay and benefits and attorney fees.

Lewis did not return calls for comment.

A lawsuit represents only one side of a complaint and does not indicate guilt or innocence of any party involved.



njohnson@sentinel-echo.com