(WLTX) --- Ricky Bouknight has been the boys varsity basketball coach at Brookland-Cayce High School for 13 seasons. He has also served as assistant athletics director, but now, Bouknight is fighting to keep his job.
The high school basketball season ended in early March, but in early June, Bouknight was told by second-year B-C athletics director and head football coach Rusty Charpia that he was making a change and Bouknight was being relieved of his duties as coach and administrator.
Charpia, who is entering his second season at the helm of the Bearcat athletics program, did not offer a reason for the dismissal, that according to Bouknight's family who is upset at the dismissal and the fact that it came three months after the season had concluded.
At Thursday night's meeting of the Lexington School District 2 Board, a handful of B-C students and parents were in attendance to show their support of Bouknight.
The subject of Bouknight's dismissal did not come up in the open session. Bouknight, who did not attend the meeting, is in the process of appealing his dismissal.
Meanwhile, Bouknight's former players are outraged over the situation and students have written letters in support of Bouknight.
High school basketball coaches across the state are equally as upset about Bouknight's firing.
Tim Whipple, who has won four state championships and whose name is on the Irmo court, sent this text message to News19 Friday - "Ricky and I are close friends, bu this is not about friendship. This is about right and wrong. Ricky was fired from his coaching and assistant athletic director duties three months after the completion of the basketball season - without warning, cause or explanation.
"How can anyone in a leadership role justify and support the way this was handled? Especially when you consider Ricky is a graduate of the school, a lifelong active member of the community and a loyal employee for the past 13 years. As a friend, my heart hurts for Ricky Bouknight, his family, his friends and especially his players. As a member of the coaching profession, I can not help but be outraged."
Bouknight is a former assistant at Irmo under Whipple. He also coached at Ridge View prior to coming to B-C and according to his wife, took a $7,000 pay cut to come back to his alma mater.