Former Westchester AD responds to dismissal
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Former Westchester Athletic Director Brian Henderson responded sharply today to his dismissal, calling it ‘a big mistake.’
Henderson was ousted Monday by new Principal Bruce Mims for what Mims cited as ‘the integrity of the entire program.’
Henderson said he was being unfairly penalized for the inability of the school’s athletic programs to live up to the standard set by a boys’ basketball program that is annually one of the best in the state.
‘He can’t look at the basketball program and say, ‘I want all my programs to be like that or I’m making changes,’ ‘ Henderson said. ‘That’s not reasonable.
‘The Westchester basketball program is doing some phenomenal things. You have a high number of athletes getting Division I scholarships every year. That’s not natural. Most schools maybe get one every two or three years.’
Henderson noted that many athletes in other sports besides basketball received scholarships and noted that none of the programs was currently on probation. He also said he had helped acquire new scoreboards for the football and softball teams.
Henderson, replaced on an interim basis by assistant athletic director Alonia Alexander, will remain at Westchester as a math teacher and assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach and freshman-sophomore head coach.
Veteran boys’ basketball Coach Ed Azzam said he was ‘surprised’ by Henderson’s dismissal.
‘Brian’s done a great job as our AD,’ Azzam said.
Asked if it would be awkward to remain part of an athletic department overseen by Mims, Henderson said, ‘I don’t know him, I don’t like him and we will have nothing to say to each other. I’m just going to ignore him.’
--Ben Bolch