Photo Courtesy of Timothy D. Easley/AP Photo
Coaches and other members of UofL’s Athletic Department are saddened and sullen now that the leader they had all known for so long has been unceremoniously fired.
Courier Journal reporter Danielle Lerner wrote an article detailing the general mood of sadness around the UofL Athletic Department formerly run by Tom Jurich.
She talked to two specific coaches from within the department, UofL Women’s Basketball coach Jeff Walz and Baseball coach Dan McDonnell; two of Jurich’s most successful hires.
“I think everyone’s got to mourn, whether you lost a boss, you lost a mentor or you lost a friend,” McDonnell told Lerner yesterday. It seems a sentiment shared by most who worked with Tom Jurich.
Jeff Walz vehemently reaffirmed his commitment to the school despite the loss of his boss.
“I signed a contract with the University of Louisville,” Walz told Lerner. “I can’t speak for anyone else and I won’t, but I know I’m planning to be here. I’ve said I plan on being here until I retire or I get fired. And I hope I get to retire before I get fired.”
Both men spoke of the legacy Jurich left behind at UofL and told Lerner they wanted to honor his legacy.
“Obviously, we wanted him back, but if he wasn’t able to come back we wanted his legacy to live on,” McDonnell confided to Lerner.
“There are a lot of things we’ve got no control over as coaches,” Walz told Lerner, “but one thing I do know (that) Tom has always been very passionate about is for us to continue to do our jobs. I think the best way to show Tom had great staff in place is for us to continue to strive to do the best and that’s what we’re all going to do.”
You can read Danielle Lerner’s full article below for more details.
NEW STORY: #UofL coaches, acting athletic director Vince Tyra 'mourn' Tom Jurich's firing https://t.co/yVyLBlDY1z
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) October 18, 2017
