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Tommy Brittain said Chandler Prep let him go as football coach two weeks ago.
He said family members, including his son Josh, who was hired with his dad as co-head coach last year, resigned two days later.
Frank Peake, who was an assistant coach in the program before Brittain took over two years ago, took over as head coach, leading the 2A school to a 33-6 win over Tonopah Valley in last week’s season opener.
“I heard from the AD and he said the kids aren’t having fun,” Brittain said. “He said morale was low, some kids were threatening to quit. I never had a complaint from a player of parent. He called me back the next day and fired me.”
Chandler Prep Athletic Director Anthony Jones said the school had no comment on the matter.
Brittain said Jones wanted his son Josh to remain as coach. Josh was hired with Tommy as co-head coaches in 2020.
Tommy Brittain said that two days later Josh resigned, as well as Tommy’s 81-year-old dad, other son and son-in-law.
“I called Josh and he couldn’t believe it,” Tommy said. “Our scrimmage gets canceled. My other son and son-in-law and dad thought it was unjust and they weren’t going to stay.”
Tommy Brittain, who was head coach at Phoenix St. Mary’s and built Tempe Prep into the first charter school to reach an AIA state final in 11-man football, said the firing “came out of left field.”
“I never had a problem at Chandler Prep,” he said. “There were no complaints from a parent or a player about quitting and not having fun. I don’t know what happened.”
Peake has been part of the Chandler Prep football program since 2014. He was head softball coach for five years and was head coach of Chandler Prep’s middle school football team. He was an assistant baseball coach.
“My goal is to keep the focus on this team of awesome young men and what they are working so hard to accomplish this season,” Peake said in an email. “They are relentless in their efforts to make this a memorable year. It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with them and our amazing coaching staff.”
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.
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