Football Cheerleading Club of Johnson County and Coach Merrill Staton reach agreement

Oct. 8, 2010 - PRLog -- FCCJC
6740 Antioch, Suite 250
Merriam, Kansas 66204-1261
Office: 913.831.6000 Fax: 913.236-9188
www.fccjc.org

October 8, 2010

For Immediate Release

Coach and Club Reach Agreement

The leadership of the Football and Cheerleading Club of Johnson County (FCCJC) and Merrill Staton, assistant coach of the Shawnee Mission North second grade tackle team, met regarding Coach Staton’s presence in a motorized wheelchair on the sidelines during games. The outcome of the meeting achieves all parties’ objectives of keeping the players on the field safe while not impeding Mr. Staton’s ability to perform his assistant coaching duties from his wheelchair.

Mr. Staton will continue to participate as an assistant coach on the sidelines.  The remainder of the coaching staff will increase their already heightened  awareness of players on the field that may need additional protection due to a  play extending out-of-bounds and possibly coming in contact with Mr. Staton’s  wheelchair.

The club has apologized to Mr. Staton and recognizes that poor communications from members of the club with him were the source of a misunderstanding of the issues. It was never the Football Board of Directors intent to ban Coach Staton from the sidelines but instead to take necessary precautions for the safety of the players. Since all parties were able to personally discuss the matter, and all concerns were satisfactorily resolved, the pending appeal before the FCCJC Football Board of Directors has been cancelled.

Contacts: Richard D. Hunter, Executive Director, 913/831-6000
Mark Lambeth, Chairman,
FCCJC Executive Board of Directors, 913-208-5466