BOARD'S BEANBALL PERPLEXES QUALLS

Bruce Qualls has not been rehired as the head baseball coach at Chaffee High School -- and he's mighty upset about it.

During last Thursday's March meeting of the Chaffee School Board, Qualls was one of four head coaches in some of the school's major sports who were not rehired for next school year.

While three of the sports in question -- football, boys basketball and girls basketball -- have struggled in recent years, the baseball program has been one of the few successful teams at a school whose athletic program has been generally non-competitive over the past decade or more.

Qualls, who will coach the baseball team during the 1999 season that begins next week, has compiled a sparkling 84-57 record in eight years at the school. He said he was told Friday morning by Chaffee's principal that he had not been rehired for next season, although he will keep his position as a physical education teacher.

"I was very stunned and I'm really upset about it," Qualls said. "I could go on and on about all the things we've done for this program, this school and this town...then you get treated like this, especially with no reason."

Qualls led the Red Devils to a 15-6 record last season and he was voted Scott-Mississippi Conference coach of the year by his peers. In Qualls' eight seasons at Chaffee, he has led the Red Devils to four conference titles, one district championship, two district runnerup finishes and a state semifinal appearance in 1992.

"I did all I could," he said. "I helped build a new field, I helped get the American Legion program started, I helped get a batting cage, and then the record speaks for itself."

Qualls said what upsets him as much as anything is that he has not been given a reason for not being rehired.

"I am entitled to a reason why and I will get one one way or another," he said. "It's not finished on my part, I can tell you that. I'm going to get an explanation."

Randy Dooley, president of the Chaffee School Board, said the baseball program has been by far the most successful of the so-called "major" sports at the school. But he didn't give a reason for Qualls' not being rehired.

"Our baseball program has probably been our most successful sport over the years," said Dooley. "I don't know that it (Qualls not being rehired) reflects that people were not pleased with his performance. Other than that, I don't want to go into it.

"Bruce has indicated that he would like some explanation from the board and I suspect that will be done at our April meeting."