Jackson football coach Van Hitt says he will comply with request to resign

~ Van Hitt was asked for his resignation at a meeting Monday

The Jackson High School football banquet typically provides a final opportunity to celebrate accomplishments and give a final farewell to seniors.

Jackson football coach Van Hitt joined in with his own farewell Thursday night, telling the crowd of players, parents, students and boosters that he had coached his last football game after being asked to resign earlier this week.

The banquet at the Jackson Knights of Columbus followed Jackson's third consecutive losing season under Hitt, who has been the varsity coach for four years after serving 29 years as an assistant.

"On Monday, I had a meeting with the administration at the high school and in a sentence, they asked me to resign," Hitt told the audience at the banquet. "So this will conclude my duties as head coach at Jackson High School. This is it tonight. And the reason they gave me for this was the losing season for the last three years and the negative comments coming from the stands during the ballgame. With that in mind, this will end my duties as head coach, and coaching forever."

Longtime assistant coach Bob Sink also announced that he was leaving the football program.

Sink has filled different roles on the staff since 1970, and most recently coached tight ends and slot backs. He retired from teaching in 2007.

"I've been coaching on a voluntary basis, and the reason I keep coaching at Jackson High School is because I love football and I've got a lot invested in Jackson High School football," Sink told the audience. "When coach Hitt was promoted to head football coach, he asked if I would continue to do this, and I said I would until he was done. Of course, that time has come right now. Because he's through, I am too. I still plan on coaching tracksters and pole vaulters, but my time as a football coach at Jackson High is over."

Hitt had been the Indians' defensive coordinator under former coach Carl Gross for 19 seasons but took over the coaching duties when Gross unexpectedly resigned after leading Jackson to the Class 5 semifinals in 2007.

"I'm thankful for what coach Hitt did," Jackson athletic director John Martin said. "He stepped into, four years ago, a tough situation."

Jackson returned to the semifinals in Hitt's first season when the Indians went 8-6 in 2008.

However, lean times followed.

"We knew going in the next three years were going to be tough, and they were," Martin said.

The Indians accumulated just six wins over the next three seasons.

The Indians had to rally to defeat Central in the finale of the 2009 season to avoid the first winless season in school history.

Jackson went 3-7 in 2010, then lost the opener of the 2011 season to Christian Academy of O'Fallon, Mo. The loss to the Class 2 school that just started a varsity program in 2010 signaled the start of another tough season.

Jackson managed wins against North County and Seckman in its 2-8 season.

Hitt said he was asked to resign at a meeting Monday with Martin, assistant superintendent Rita Fisher and high school principal Vince Powell.

"As I told Dr. Fisher, Vince and John Martin, I have nothing to be ashamed of because I tried my best," Hitt said after the banquet. "If I had it all to do over again, I'd do the same. I made some decisions to not play kids because of discipline reasons, and that hurt. And I knew it would hurt us. But those are the rules."

Hitt, who plans to remain as director of the alternative school, said he probably will hand in a letter of resignation today. The Jackson School Board is scheduled to meet Monday and is expected to accept Hitt's resignation at that time.

"I can't tell you who made the ultimate decision on it," Hitt said about his ouster.

When asked who was behind the request for Hitt's resignation, Martin said, "I'd rather not comment on that right now."

School board member Dan Stover was present at the banquet and handed out a written statement on his own behalf, which in part read:

"I am very disappointed and shocked with the way the administration handled the firing of coach Hitt," the statement said. "Whether you agree or disagree with the firing, the fact of the matter is, some if not all of the board members were not informed of the firing until three days after the fact. ... I would think the release of the high school football coach at Jackson would be worthy of discussion and input of all board members not just a select few.

"In my opinion, coach Hitt has been a model employee and a wonderful role model for countless young people for many years here at Jackson. What a disrespectful way to end a fantastic career at our school."

Assistant coach Reagan McDowell, who's served under Hitt for four seasons after playing linebacker on a state runner-up team at Jackson in the 1990s, learned about Hitt's and Sink's resignations along with everyone else.

"I admire them and what they have done," McDowell said. "They are some of the reason why I got into coaching. I admired what they did and what they stood for and wanted to be like them and emulate them."

While Hitt kept his comments short at the banquet, he wanted to add a few words when contacted afterward.

"It was pretty emotional for me. ... I coached football at Jackson for [33] years and I wanted to thank them for the opportunity to do that, but I was unable to get all that out tonight," he said.

Martin said the position would be open to coaches currently on the staff and those from outside the school district. He said there is no time frame for finding a replacement.

"Coach Hitt and coach Sink have done a fabulous job," Martin said. "They put a lot of time in Jackson football. The direction we go right now, we're going to open it up and go from there."