Former Fairfield Prep Basketball Coach Rich Lee Is "Over" Firing

The firing of former Fairfield Prep varsity basketball coach Rich Lee in late July caught many in the school community off guard because there was little indication that his job was in jeopardy.

With a new school year under way, Lee has moved on and taken the high road.

"It happened a while ago now so I'm over it," said Lee, who guided the Jesuits to  67-64 record in his six seasons as coach.

Glen Colello, Lee's long-time friend, is still angry over the dismissal.

"High school sports athletic directors pray that their coaches have as much intergrity as Rich Lee," said Colello, Lee's former co-worker at the Wakeman Boys and Girls Club in Southport. 

Some saw Lee's firing as another example of Fairfield Prep cutting ties with coaches who were not alumni or associated with the school or community in some way.

Earlier this year,  Prep alumnus and teacher Tom Shea was named the Jesuits' head football coach. Lee's replacement, Leo Redgate, also is an alumnus and owns a business in Fairfield.

Stephen Donahue, who is in his second year as Fairfield Prep's athletic director, said the school has no steadfast policy requiring coaches to be alumni or work in the school.

"It is a philosophy that is a preference but not an absolute," Donahue said. "From a communication, operation and involvement aspect, having players see coaches in the halls and at school functions sends the proper message that our athletic programs are an extension of the classroom."

That philosophy is not unique to Fairfield Prep, as many schools prefer to have their coaches on school grounds during the day.

Colello, however, connected Lee's firing to the dismissal of former football coach Bill Pinto, who was not a Prep graduate.

"Due to the misfortune of the past football coach, Rich and the basketball team should not have to suffer," Colello said.

Pinto's firing did not come as a great shock because the Jesuits were 0-10 last season.

Lee's ouster surprised many because he had a winning record, although he was coming off consecutive losing seasons.  The Jesuits were 9-12 last season and 6-14 in 2008-09, the only time they failed to make the state tournament under Lee, the program director for boys basketball at Wakeman. 

Fairfield Prep reached the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament three times under Lee, whose best season came in 2007, when the Jesuits were 17-4.  A year later, he guided Prep to the quarterfinals of the SCC and CIAC Class LL quarterfinals.

The departure of Lee has led some to wonder if the job of Prep's ultra-successful lacrosse coach Chris Smalkais could be in jeopardy.

Smalkais is neither a Fairfield Prep graduate nor a teacher, but Donahue stated that Smalkais'  job is definitely safe.

"Although Chris is not an alum nor faculty member, he has embraced our Jesuit mission as well as any coach we have," Donahue said.  "Chris not only excels at coaching lacrosse but really is a teacher of our students outside of the classroom. We are lucky to have him and greatly appreciate what he brings to Fairfield Prep."

Redgate, who coached Prep's junior varsity team last season, was elevated to head varsity coach the day after Lee's firing.

"He really impressed my with his desire and commitment to our school and making the athletic experience here at Prep all encompassing," Donahue said. 

"His plan for off-season conditioning, involvement of players in the community through service opportunities and overall changes, has really impressed me. The players response to changes made, in just a few short weeks,  has been very positive."

Many within the Fairfield Prep community are happy with Redgate's hiring  as well.

"We are very happy for Leo  because he's a really great guy," said Toni Cotto,  whose son Vinny graduated from Fairfield Prep in the spring. " It's just a shame that it had to come at Rich's expense."

Vinny Cotto was captain of the junior varsity team under Redgate and played point guard on the varsity team under Lee.

"[Lee] is a great guy personally, even if I didn't always agree with everything he did from a coaching aspect," Cotto added. 

Lee, meanwhile, remains a fan of the Jesuits.

"I wish the best for all the kids," Lee said.

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