The Observer, September 14, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 3
Harris dismissed as track coach – decision stuns athletes
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Whitney Horne will not be running track this year. Neither will Danielle Kendeigh. "It comes down to integrity," said Horne, who as a freshman was last year's UAA conference champion in the 100-meter dash. "If I ran this year I would be condoning what happened to Coach Harris."
Kendeigh, who broke the school record last year for the indoor 400-meter dash, said that her decision not to participate was due to the dismissal of most of the coaching staff. "I feel that our voices as Case athletes were not heard. This situation showed disrespect to my teammates and myself," said Kendeigh.
The situation Kendeigh refers to is the firing of Dennis Harris, the popular head track and field coach. Many athletes in the track program, shocked by the decision, have asked athletic director Dave Diles to explain the reasoning behind the decision. So far, they believe they haven't received a good answer.
Glen Nicholls, Vice President for Student Affairs and Diles' supervisor, said that neither he nor Diles can speak in detail about the decision not to renew Harris' contract. "It's a personnel matter that we can't go into publicly," said Nicholls.
All full-time coaches in the athletic department are physical education faculty on yearly contracts. According to Nicholls, all coaches are evaluated in three areas. First is their performance in their coaching assignment. Second is their responsibility as a physical education faculty member. Third is the coach's other departmental duties, such as serving on committees within the university. If judged deficient in these areas, a terminal contract is issued. After the year covered in the contract ends, the coach is dismissed.
"When Dr. Diles came in [to the university], he inherited the recommendation for a terminal contract for Dennis," said Nicholls. "Dr. Diles said that he didn't have a history with Harris, so he wanted to give it a year to see if the issues could be resolved." At the end of that trial year, Diles recommended to Nicholls that Harris receive a terminal contract. Nicholls agreed, and after the decision was vetted by other departments within the university, including legal and human resources, the terminal contract was issued. "I want to make clear that this wasn't solely my decision," said Diles. "We were fair and comprehensive."
But one of Harris' former assistant coaches, Cy Levkanich, disagrees. Levkanich, who has 30 years of experience coaching track, including four at Case, considers Harris to be one of the best that he's ever worked alongside.
"Harris is a great guy. He's a throwback to an era where the overall development of the person is paramount. Now, it's all about wins and losses and money. It shouldn't be that way at a Division III college," said Levkanich. At Division III institutions, no athletic scholarships are offered. Instead, student athletes choose to participate out of enjoyment of the activity. "The younger generation of coaches are concerned about what athletic success will do for their résumé," said Levkanich.
Harris' popularity extends beyond the current group of track athletes. Harris is often contacted by athletes he coached 20 years ago to thank him for the impact he's had on their lives. "The reason for that is the kids have such a great experience in track," said Levkanich. Kendeigh agreed. "Coach Harris led me to the best season of my entire track career, and it was due to his guidance and training techniques," she said.
In spite of Harris' terminal contract, he was promoted from the head of the men's program to head of both the men's and women's teams last year. Harris, who began coaching for Case in 1982, became a full-time faculty member in 1991.
"They [Nicholls and Diles] had no reason to do what they did to him [Harris]," said Levkanich. 'Coach Lev,' as he is known to those on the track team, said that he and the other assistant coaches noticed a pattern of disrespect shown by Diles to Harris since Diles came to Case two years ago.
Harris, as the head coach, assigned his assistant coaches to take charge of a group of events. Among those assigned to Levkanich were the 1500 and 800-meter runs. Levkanich, who also coaches cross country at Benedictine High School, a Catholic school near Shaker Square, had been assigned those events the three previous years. But last year, assistant track and head men's and women's cross country coach Kathy Lanese approached Diles about changing the arrangement. Diles overrode Harris, and Lanese took over the events. "She's a highly qualified UAA Coach of the Year and an expert in distance," said Diles.
The relationship between Lanese and Harris was strained. "Her runners are alienated from the rest of the team," said Levkanich. At the start of each practice, the entire track team, coaches included, would run a lap together as a team-building exercise. Lanese, however, chose not to participate. "That's a team lap, not my lap," said Lanese.
Of the nine members of last year's track staff, only Lanese will be returning. Diles never spoke to Levkanich concerning the reason for his dismissal. "Diles once said 'hello' to me outside Coach Harris' office," said Levkanich. "In two years, that was the only conversation we ever had."
Lanese declined to comment on Harris' termination, instead preferring to look to the future. "I'm very excited to work with the new head coach. We see eye-to-eye on training, work ethic, and management style. We both want to win," said Lanese.
The new head coach, Steve Rubin, brings a long record of success in the UAA to Case's program. As an undergraduate, he competed for Emory University, winning back-to-back UAA titles in the triple jump. When he was head of Washington University's track program, the women's team won consecutive indoor and outdoor championships. "He's a great communicator and he has a passion for track and field. Coach Rubin has a deep desire to bring the distance program and the track program side-by-side," said Diles.
Meanwhile, Harris is still employed by the university as the director of Youth Programs and Community Outreach. His new position grew out of his role as state coordinator for the National Youth Sports Program.
The NYSP serves disadvantaged youth between the ages of 10 and 16. It provides sports and numerous other educational programs for inner-city children. Many track athletes have volunteered for the program. Harris now works with corporations, private donors, and city hall to raise money for the program, which, due to a decrease in government spending on the NYSP, is shrinking nationwide. "I'm looking forward to this new opportunity," said Harris. Harris declined to discuss the controversy surrounding his dismissal.
