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King Coach Handed 5-Week Suspension

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By ADAM ADKINS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2007

TAMPA - King High officials have suspended football coach Earl Garcia III from all team activities for the next five weeks for his actions following the Lions' loss to Bloomingdale on Friday night.
Garica III, who is in his first season as head coach at King, won't be eligible to return to the sidelines until the week of the Lions game at Leto on Oct. 26, King athletic director Frank Oliver said Tuesday. Garcia III will miss four games.
Offensive coordinator Alex Gonzalez will serve as interim head coach while Garcia III is suspended. King (1-2) hosts Durant (1-2) on Friday night.

'I take full responsibility for my actions. It was 100 percent my fault,' Garcia III said Tuesday.

The entire King football staff initially was dismissed on Monday and each member was forced to go through a re-hiring phase, which took place Monday and Tuesday, Oliver said. Two assistants were not retained, Oliver said.

Garcia III also was fined $200 by the FHSAA for his actions after the game officials filed a report with the state, but there were no other state-sanctioned reprimands, FHSAA spokesperson Robert Hernberger said Tuesday. King senior lineman Dominique Carswell also was given a one-week suspension for his actions during the game.

Garcia III, son of longtime Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia, said he thought there were several questionable calls that went against his team, and that after the game he approached the officials 'in a talking manner to get an explanation and to try and find out how to register a complaint.' Things escalated, however, Garcia said without elaborating.

It was reported in the Tribune on Saturday that Garcia III was being verbally abusive and had to be escorted away from the officials by sheriff's deputies.

'I apologize for how I stood up for my kids, but I can't apologize for standing up for my kids,' Garcia III said. 'I'm not making any excuse for my actions. I could have definitely handled it in a better way. I did not act like I'm supposed to act, but I did not think we were getting a fair deal.'

Oliver said this was not the first incident involving Garcia III at King - though he declined to elaborate - and said that played a factor in the penalties handed down by school administrators.

'He still has a future here at King,' Oliver said. 'We're all just hoping to move on.'

The Lions moved on the best they could Tuesday, going through their normal routine preparing for the Cougars in an effort to snap their two-game losing streak. Gonzalez, the interim coach, said the mood of the team was good.

'This is a resilient bunch. These guys have experienced adversity before, in prior seasons or in their lives. I think they'll get through it,' Gonzalez said.

However, the Lions players were upset not to have Garcia III around.

'It's crazy. He was the hype of this team,' said senior defensive back Jarrel Livingston. 'Somehow, we've got to get used to him not being here.'

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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