A high school basketball coach in Gary, Indiana announced Monday that he got fired from his position after video surfaced of him throwing a chair in the direction of a referee and player on the opposing team this past weekend during a game. Nick Moore, the now-former coach of the Gary Lighthouse Prep boys basketball team, announced his change in employment on Facebook, according to the Indianapolis Star.
"There is simply no place in education-based athletics for this type of poor behavior. This adult behavior will not be tolerated. I commend the Lighthouse CPA administration on their swift action in dealing with the situation and expect a positive change in the expectations and standards moving forward," IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig said in a release Tuesday.
The incident happened against Bowman Academy, and was spurred on by a disagreement over a traveling call. Moore grabbed multiple chairs during his bout of rage, but managed to only throw one before assistants restrained him.
"I've had a chance to reflect," Moore told the Times of Northwest Indiana on Saturday. "I feel like I could've handled things in a better manner. Just looking back on it, we talk to our kids about sportsmanship, and we don't condone technical fouls and the type of acts that I displayed. I never want any of my players to display that kind of behavior, so I probably could've found a better way."
Moore was not the only person in his program to get kicked out of the game. Athletic director Lawrence Sandlin was also booted in the third quarter for a disagreement over an official's call. Sandlin is suspended "for the team's next varsity contest and all other interschool contests at any level in the interim."
