NFM High School baseball coaches ‘released’ from team

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla.- North Fort Myers High School head baseball coach Tavaris Gary has been “released” from the team, the Lee County School District confirmed Friday.

Assistant coaches Mike Washington and Christian Martinez were also removed from their positions.

The school district did not specify why the coaches were released, but did say “principals have complete discretion over coaching positions and can release at will, with or without cause, a coaching position.”

Gary tells WINK News he and his assistant coaches weren’t fired but they are suspended and will return to the team at a later date.

Just weeks ago, Gary and his team were the target of racial vandalism when a slur and a swastika were found spray painted on the team’s dugout.

Nine months ago racial tension also rose at the school when Gary was again a target of a racial message caught on camera. Former head coach David Bechtol was recorded taking a sledge hammer to a caricature depicting Gary with over-exaggerated lips and a noose around his neck.

Gary will continue to serve as a teacher at the school, according to the school district.

The district says Gary Kamphouse will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.