It’s been a rocky road for the Richmond High School girls’ volleyball team lately! On October 7, they faced off against the Swett Warriors in a match that ended with a brutal 3-0 defeat for the Oilers. But wait, there’s more to this saga than just scoreboard woes! It seems the players have been raising some serious eyebrows about the mindset of the school’s stakeholders. The drama escalated to the point where the higher-ups had to step in to prevent further chaos. So what exactly happened? 

According to The Palladium-Item, on September 24, junior volleyball team member Katie Mathena shared a detailed post on her Facebook handle. There, she complained about losing access to the main gym of the school. She added that the boys basketball team of Richmond stopped their entry, despite having an off-season. In a bold move, the girls decided to stand their ground, but things took a wild turn.

After the girls’ volleyball team’s resistance, Robert Lee, the Athletic Director, turned off the lights in the main gym until the girls’ team left the place. This wasn’t a one-off event, either; the girls had apparently faced similar issues before. So, naturally, they took their complaints up the chain to Richmond High School’s administration.

Pal Item’s report states that Darrell Morken, the head coach, has been placed on paid administrative leave as part of the continuing investigation. The order came after the players had complained about his meek approach to the situation. In fact, as per the players’ arguments, Morken did not protest when the Athletic Director turned off the lights of the gym to hinder the girls’ team’s practice session.

Emma Stites, the team’s senior player, was visibly upset to see their coach go off course rather than encourage them in that circumstance. She eventually said, “That was the first time Morken would actually come into the gym.” But before that day, things had already taken unimaginable turns.

The girls’ claims are also backed by some facts and one of the most telling pieces comes from Event Link, the scheduling service used by Richmond Athletics. The data reveals a shocking pattern: from September 17 to October 1, the boys’ basketball JV and varsity teams had free reign of the main gym—even during their off-season! Meanwhile, the girls were relegated to practicing in the auxiliary gym, despite being in the thick of a jam-packed season. As word of this mess spread like wildfire, the administration finally decided it was time to take action. A serious notice went up, indicating that they were ready to address the growing concern.

The culture of Richmond volleyball faces a low as per a prominent voice 

Last week, the Richmond volleyball team celebrated the Richmond Invitational. The pomp earned a special tone as Elaine Tiernan attended the program. Her father, Richard Tiernan, was a former volleyball coach who played a profound role in establishing the culture of volleyball in the Richmond Community Schools. However, the ongoing sad affair in the Richmond volleyball pained her deeply. She even said, “Richard Tiernan would be disappointed. He was very pleased this facility was built to afford both boys and girls opportunities to participate in athletics.” Nonetheless, Richard Community Schools authority is on a mission to bring that culture back.

In a detailed Facebook post, they announced a thorough investigation into the matter. Interestingly, they stated that they’ve received no internal or external complaints from any official Title IX sources, which has left them asking the community to hold off on conclusions for now. They’re urging everyone to trust their commitment to seeking justice for the affected players. So, what’s next? Only time will tell how this all unfolds! Will the volleyball culture return to its former glory, or is there more drama on the horizon? Only time will tell.