The stellar career of Jim Danley, the state’s winningest baseball coach on record, may be in jeopardy.
Danley, 69, who has led the Eaton Reds for 44 years and to a Colorado-leading 11 state championships, including one the past season, is embroiled in a struggle with school administration.
Danley, the three-time national coach of the year, was presented last week with a 13-point “performance improvement plan” from District RE-2 Superintendent Randy Miller and Eaton athletic director Steve Longwell.
The document removes Danley’s son, Kirk, a longtime volunteer assistant and coach on other Eaton levels, from the prep program during the school year. And it reinstates an assistant coach the elder Danley had let go.
Danley also is being required to take an online course about “promoting a safe and respectful environment,” run all recruiting through the athletic office, develop a handbook about the program, offer no retribution to others about the new plan, push for multisport athletes, separate the in-season Reds from the offseason groups and bring back previously released assistant Dalton Cox.
And if any of the above is altered, Danley is to be relieved.
“Trite,” is about all Danley said when asked to comment.
One of Colorado’s prep icons could be gone as soon as Sept. 14, when a school board meeting will be held and Danley’s fate may be decided.
“This should be about the 100 best days in our program,” Danley said, pointing to his team’s 11th state championship in May, topping small-school lists nationally, being ranked No. 17 by MaxPreps among all schools and winning an American Legion A varsity tournament.
“It’s not.”
Miller said he stands behind his PIP, which he said also applies to all Eaton coaches.
“Yes,” he said he still wants Danley back as coach, but “he has some things to work on.”
No, he insisted, there are no games being played to make Danley walk, and Miller acknowledged that all he had to do to replace Danley was not renew his contract (all prep coaches operate on one-year deals).
Danley, who owns a state-leading career mark of 807-163-2 and has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, has explored retaining counsel.
“I’ll fight for my job,” he said.
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or
Covering all bases
Here is a breakdown of a “Performance Improvement Plan” issued by Eaton superintendent Randy Miller and athletic director Steve Longwell to longtime Eaton baseball coach Jim Danley:
1. Kirk Danley, Coach Danley’s son, will not have contact with anyone associated with Reds baseball during the school year, including e-mails, texts and phone calls.
2. During the summer, Kirk Danley can’t communicate with Eaton concerning spring baseball.
3. Kirk Danley is confined to the stands at all Eaton prep baseball games and is to have no contact or communication with players or coaches during games.
4. Dalton Cox will return as an assistant coach for 2016 play.
5. A baseball handbook will be created, OK’d by the athletic director. It will include lines of communication, decisions for making the team, lettering criteria, and parents, player and coach responsibility, and is to be available by Dec. 1.
6. All statistics programs for the prep team will be managed by only board-recognized coaches.
7. No banners other than those signifying spring titles can be displayed on the outfield fence during spring play.
8. Coach Danley must promote multisport athletes.
9. Coach Danley must complete the “Creating a safe and respectful environment” National Federation of State High Schools online course by Dec. 1.
10. Members of the spring team will not be required to play summer or fall baseball to keep their positions.
11. College recruiting must go through the athletic director’s office.
12. There will be no retribution to players as a result of this plan.
13. Coach Danley and the athletic director will send a joint letter to families of baseball players out- lining changes.
If any of these requirements are violated, the coach will be terminated immediately.
