South Jersey Football Coach Claims Racist Policies Lead To Firing

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A South Jersey high school football program with a long tradition of winning finds itself at the center of a racially ignited firestorm after firing its head coach.

Nick Strom has reportedly been fired as the head coach for both the football and golf teams at Camden Catholic High School. He has also been placed on administrative leave as a teacher. Strom, who is white, claims his firing came because he had “too many black players on the team.”

“From day one, the administration told me they did not approve of the ratio of black to white students,” Strom told the Courier Post. He said he was trying to build a program that was based on the players’ ability, high character and grades, but the issue of race came up 10-20 times since he was hired as the head coach in 2013.

Camden Catholic President Mary Whipkey told nj.com the topic didn’t come up once, and denied that Strom was fired for that reason. She also didn’t confirm the coach’s status with the website. “None of that statement is true,” she told them. “I don’t want people to think that’s who we are.” She said her school is a special place that is strong in the arts and has had a positive impact on many people who have gone there.

A spokesperson for the school wasn't immediately available for comment to Patch Tuesday morning.

Parents and students protested the firing outside the school, according to CBS 3. Strom’s former coach was on hand, and told the news station he believes the reasons given by the school in a letter to Strom — that he violated the school dress code and confronted another teacher in front of students — are a coverup for the real reason he was fired. Tyrone Bellford also said Strom had spoken to him on a number of occasions about a bias the school seemed to have against minorities.

Camden Catholic is one of the more successful programs in South Jersey over the past few seasons. It has 21 total playoff appearances, with four sectional finals and a sectional title, according to gridironnewjersey.com. Strom lost just six games in his four-year tenure.

The Diocese of Camden has said it is investigating the issue.

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