New London (WTNH) - Jack Cochran may have a winning record, but the head football
coach at New London High School is out of a job.
Four years after he was hired at his alma mater, he has been
fired for questionable coaching practices.
"It's gonna suck for us cause we don't have a strict coach to
lead us," said Carlos Lozada, a sophomore at New London High.
The latest problems with the coach stemmed from his brief time
coaching the baseball team. Cochran held what was an illegal
practice out of season and he let junior high athletes practice
with the team - that cost the school department $750 in fines and
put New London on probation which could have cost it post season
play.
Carlos and the other football players found out about the
coach's firing while they were lifting weights at the school this
morning. They say it's a huge disappointment.
"I feel like it sucks for me cause as a sophomore I'm trying to
go somewhere in college and stuff as for football and he's my
ticket right there," said Carlos.
"I think that's gonna be devastating because Coach Cochran is
all the football players role model. He's like a father figure to
everybody who they look up to and keeps them off the streets and
keeps their goals like brought us to the championship and
everything and I don't think it was necessary for him to get
fired," said Shane'l Blount, sophomore.
Last month, dozens of students staged a walk out from the school
to protest the firing. The kids are on spring break this week.