Clodi officially out at St. Charles East
St. Charles East made official Friday what boys basketball coach Brian Clodi first found out about last Wednesday — he will not return as the Saints’ boys basketball coach.
Jim Blaney, the director of School and Community Relations for St. Charles Community Unit School District 303, made the announcement Friday.
“Brian Clodi will not be retained as head boys basketball coach at St. Charles East,” Blaney said. “The review process was finalized today.”
Athletic director Jerry Krieg did not provide a favorable review for Clodi last week, and it was his recommendation with Principal Robert Miller agreeing that Clodi should not be retained.
That controversial decision led to a rally in support of Clodi last Friday with approximately 100 students showing their support before school started.
This past Monday night at a school board meeting even more community members came to support Clodi. It wasn’t enough to get District 303 Superintendent Dr. Donald Schlomann and the school board to reverse the recommendation by Krieg and Miller.
Removing Clodi has led to hard feelings at St. Charles East between many of the longtime coaches at the school who support Clodi and the current administration. Phone calls to Krieg and Clodi have not been returned the past week.
An outside investigation of the entire athletic department will be held in part because of the contention that while Clodi had an annual review, not all the Saints coaches did.
“I am disappointed with the process and the logic being displayed by the adminstration,” STCE Basketball Boosters president Phil Hondlik said.
The boosters released the following statement Friday:
“The Basketball Community is shocked and saddened by the decision of the administration of STCE to remove Coach Brian Clodi from the position of boys varsity head coach. We are especially disappointed in the fact that STCE Athletic Department was allowed to make this decision while currently under review by an independent panel. We are disappointed that the overwhelming support that Coach Clodi has from his current players, alumni, basketball community and the St. Charles community as a whole was ignored. We remain convinced that this is a matter that should have been put on hold until the new Principal is in place (Miller is going to the junior high). The negative publicity that this is generating and hard feelings fall squarely on the principal and AD. We want to assure all involved that we believe this injustice will be corrected and we have only begun in our efforts to support Coach Clodi. We urge everyone who cares about D303 to call and write your BOE Members and the D303 Administration and let your voices be heard.”
Clodi, who played high school basketball for Krieg and used to have a good working relationship before things turned sour in recent years, finishes his 8 years at St. Charles East at 96-128, including 14-14 this past season.
Blaney said Clodi will remain a St. Charles East PE and driver’s ed teacher.
“The job will be posted as soon as possible because they’d like to get everything squared away before the start of the summer season,” Blaney said.
Craig Brueske and John Lemon contributed to this story