Bessemer City’s football program is scrambling to get ready for the 2019 high school football city after the Bessemer Board of Education voted 5-2 to fire its head coach Darone Fagan and all of his assistants for holding illegal practices.
In a news release, Bessemer City Superintendent Keith Stewart said:
“We stress to our students the importance of following the rules. This also means Bessemer school administrators, teachers, coaches and staff are held to the same high standard. We have to lead by example.”
Keith Stewart, Bessemer City Superintendent
Fagan, who led the team to a 7-5 record last year in his first season, and his staff were found to have held unauthorized practices outside of the regular season.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association placed the school’s football program on probation, requiring the school to pay a $300 AHSAA fine and barring the Purple Tigers from playing any summer competition dates. The school also had to cancel its 10-day spring practice and had to forfeit spring game scheduled against Oak Mountain.
