Columbine Coach Quits
L I T T L E T O N, Colo., July 5 -- Columbine High School’s boys basketballcoach has resigned after 14 years, saying his heart is no longer inthe game since the suicide of one of his star players.
Rudy Martin said Monday there were many reasons for his decisionto step down, but that the death of junior guard Greg Barnes thisspring weighed the most heavily.
“It opened my eyes to the personal things in my life,” Martintold the Denver Rocky Mountain News. “Time is short. We’ve hadone-in-a-million happen twice, and I want to spend more time withmy family.”
Barnes, who averaged 26.2 points a game last season and waspoised to be one of the best players in the state his senior year,hanged himself at his home May 4.
The suicide came two weeks after the anniversary of the April20, 1999, shootings at Columbine. Barnes, 17, lost one of his bestfriends and saw a teacher die in the bloodbath at the Littletonschool.
Plans to Stay on Staff
Martin’s life has revolved around basketball. But while coachingColumbine’s summer team, Martin realized how much losing Barnessapped his enjoyment of the game.
“For our program, we require enthusiasm and hard work. I justdidn’t feel in my heart that I could bring those two things to thecourt. And if I’m not going to practice what I preach, then Ishould quit,” he said.
He plans to remain on the Columbine teaching staff.
Martin leaves with a career record of 226-79. His teams neverhad a losing season, and the Rebels won the state championship in1997.
Barnes’ suicide was one of four deaths that kept the communitygrieving during the year following the massacre at the school, whentwo seniors fatally shot 12 students and a teacher before killingthemselves.
Last October, the mother of a wounded student shot herself todeath, and in February, two Columbine sweethearts were found deadafter a shooting at a sandwich shop near the school.
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