Not a member of the cult wrote:
Those Brentwood elitists have been paying the coach for awhile now. So this accusation against the parents that wanted pay to play, was the race a school race or a club team race? That makes a difference in my opinion.
Taken from a Response letter from a parent regarding Lindsey Quirk’s report. Ms. Quirk is the person who did the internal investigation for the school. She is a Human Resource Coordinator.
Two excerpts:
1."... I also thought it was relevant that my son was involved in the situation that led to this track upheaval. My son, a sophomore, travelled with the top four runners on the team to Virginia to run in a national competition. Elias was given the opportunity to run in a couple of relays, which Brad and Brenda Vroon became extremely upset over, due to some expectations they had for the top four runners to run a relay together, (as shared to me by the Vroons). I believe it was their anger with Mr. Avery that led them to file a complaint against him, within weeks, which led to this semester-long turmoil. I believe his complaint had nothing to do with good intentions and everything to do with vindictiveness. But, without knowing the back story, the Principal and Athletic Director, not to mention the Central Office, gave credence to someone who lacks credibility in this matter. Everyone believed, hook, line, and sinker the man complaining about, “pay to play,†not knowing that Vroon had just proposed pay to play, but was rejected by Mr. Avery, as I will show."
2. "Brad Vroon, who had been paying Mr. Avery for several years, was upset with Mr. Avery because he did not agree with how Avery placed boys in an indoor meet. Looking forward to the National Championship indoor meet, Brad wrote to Avery, January 15, 2017, the Sunday the meet ended:
Guy- it is my opinion that Jackson has earned a spot on the DMR. He is the fastest one on your squad and he is a part of the core top 4 on the team. Clearly, he can beat Elias, Matthew Walters, or anyone
else. Personally, I think it is hurtful to him to be asking other runners that are not of his caliber and younger. He is a competitor and will race at whatever position he is asked. I think it would be extremely detrimental to your group to ask someone who doesn't train with you or pay you to participate in the DMR, basically handing some kid an all American medal. Going forward, this is the core issue to me and Brenda. You need to decide if Jackson will join Taylor, Scott, and Brody in New York and Vanderbilt. (Appendix 1)
The fact is, Jackson is not as fast as Matthew Walters, for the 400m leg of the DMR, (Distance Medley Relay), so Mr. Avery chose Matthew Walters to run that leg, despite the fact that Walters does not pay or train with him. He chose him, instead of choosing Jackson Vroon, whose parents had been paying Avery. Please notice Vroon’s words, “I think it would be extremely detrimental to your group to ask someone who doesn’t train with you or pay you to participate in the DMR...†Obviously, Vroon thinks Mr. Avery should give preferential treatment to those who have been paying him. That is a proposal for, “pay for play,†which Avery flatly rejected. Odd that Vroon was the one who brought the initial complaint, concerning, “pay to play,†this year. He proposes, “pay to play,†gets rejected, then overnight, grows a conscience and files his complaint alleging, “pay to play,†concerning Avery’s involvement as a coach at BHS. "