Thom Holdgate, the long time Director of Athletics and Wellness at Duxbury High School, will not return next year.
Holdgate, in an email to coaches and wellness staff last Tuesday morning, said he learned Friday, June 11, from DHS Principal Jim Donovan that his contract will not be renewed. June 30, according to the email, is his final day after 19 years of working at the school. “I was obviously surprised and shaken,” Holdgate wrote.
Matt Ellis, a spokesman for the Duxbury schools, released the following statement to the Clipper: “Thom has played a key role in the success of the DHS athletic programs for the last 19 years. We value his service and appre ciate his commitment to our student-athletes. At this time, and as we continue to heal and move forward, we felt it was in the school’s best interest to seek new leadership. We wish Thom the best in his future endeavors.”
The decision comes following lingering scandals surrounding the football and boys hockey programs. School administration learned in March that the football team used Jewish terms and Holocaust-related language, including the word “Auschwitz,” in a game against Plymouth North. An investigation completed earlier this month showed that Jewish and Hebrew words had been used in practice since 2010 and that a change from “rabbit” to “rabbi” led to more Jewish terms in the team’s vernacular. Head coach Dave Maimaron was fired from that position in March and resigned from his teaching job in June, he told the Clipper on Monday.
Duxbury Middle School Physical Education Teacher and DHS Boys hockey coach John Blake was fired after the parents of a former Duxbury student, Parker Foley, filed a lawsuit against him and the School District, accusing him of sexually assaulting their son when he was in seventh grade. Foley died of a drug overdose late last year. Blake filed a counterclaim, accusing Foley’s parents of libel and slander. However, Blake’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, filed a motion to withdraw that claim last week.
The district has faced criticism for its handling of the Blake case.
At an open forum held by the School Committee last month, Franklin Street resident Tad Clelland said he believes his daughter was subjected to unwanted attention by Blake. Clelland said that she reported Blake to the school, but with little success. According to Clelland, administrators refused to interview other students. Parent Deirdre Weiler also commented on Blake at the same meeting, saying that one of her three sons, who graduated from DHS, played hockey under Blake and was targeted by him. She said her complaints were “met with blockades and barricades.”
Many people in Duxbury were against the decision to not renew Holdgate’s contract, including DHS parent Christine Sovik, who said she can’t think of anyone who has worked harder for the students of Duxbury. “Thom Holdgate is an over-the-top hard worker and a tireless advocate for our children,” Sovik said. “To me, his attention to detail and his rigid following of the correct protocols were unmatched. The student-athletes of Dux bury were beyond lucky to have him.” Geoff Sullivan of Windy Hill Lane agreed, saying he “did a solid job keeping everything in order during a tough year,” and was basically a scapegoat for things he had no knowledge of. DHS parent Jeffrey Loreaux of Penny Lane said Holdgate always made sure to explain his decisions, “even if they were not popular.”
Other residents felt the decision to fire Holdgate was the right one.
One alumnus and former athlete, Matt Murphy of Chestnut Street, said he agreed with the decision. “It’s no longer the ‘50s, and the town needs to recognize that and prepare its students for a world where this behavior is unacceptable.”
“Unfortunately there has to be a clean slate and accountability,” DHS parent Terri Scanlon of Tremont Street said. Two of the biggest scandals to hit Duxbury happened and both involved people in his department. “Either he didn’t know what was going on in his department, which shows he was pretty clueless, or he did know, and did nothing about it. Either one isn’t good.”
Duxbury coaches were overwhelmingly against the decision and in support of Holdgate and the work he’s done. The consensus was that his professionalism and personable nature have made their lives significantly easier.
DHS boys and girls golf coach Jack Stoddard worked alongside Holdgate for 19 years, including the last six as site manager in the winter season.
From Stoddard’s experience, Holdgate is extremely organized and a stickler for following both the school hand book and MIAA rules. Stod dard said Holdgate frequently holds meetings so coaches, parents and student-athletes all know what was expected and went out of his way to make sure everyone was on the same page. “His professionalism is showing now,” Stoddard said. “Even though his contract has not been renewed, he’s still contacting coaches and sending out information about spring tournaments and the fall season. I’m not sure other people would be doing that.”
Girls tennis coach Lori Se man, who started in 2013, said Holdgate did an excellent job anticipating the needs of every team at the school. Seman called him “direct” and said “you know exactly where you stand.” She said it’s “extremely unfair” that the actions of others at the school have had a ripple effect on Holdgate and the town. “I think Thom’s a scapegoat,” Seman said.
Boys tennis coach John Bunar, who has coached at Duxbury since the mid-1990s, said it’s “unimaginable” how good Holdgate was at the job and called him an “amazing professional.” There was never a detail that went undone, Bunar said, and never a call that went unanswered or unreturned.
When Holdgate said to do something, Bunar said it was easy to do so because it was always the right decision. He was fair, knew his options, and could always see ahead, Bunar added.
“I can’t see anybody better at the job than him,” Bunar said. “It was kind of shocking to me. I was taken aback … It’s a dark day for the kids of Duxbury.”
