|
Neither Menday nor SCC’s Athletic Director, Doug Palmer,
were willing to comment on the exact reasons behind the
decision. Palmer, however, did say that the decision was a
“college decision” and not one that came from the athletic
department alone.
Menday was informed of the decision over the phone
on February 29. The move comes after a basketball season
in which Menday’s team missed the playoffs with a 7-9 record
in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community
Colleges (NWAACC) North Division. Despite a losing
2007-08 season, Menday finishes his three-year tenure
at SCC with a winning record and an award for NWAACC
North “Coach of the Region” in 2006.
“I’m the only coach who’s left SCC with a winning percentage
in men’s basketball,” Menday said. “My record was
47-38 for my three years as head coach with a trip to the
(NWAACC) playoffs in 2006. We were 15-13 this year and I
took over a team that was 8-20. I just don’t have any further
comment other than that I’m disappointed but it’s over.”
Palmer, meanwhile, stresses that the decision was not
based on the team’s standings and finishes, but based on
the general direction he is looking to take SCC’s athletic
department.
“Wins and losses are nice, but that’s not necessarily
the biggest thing we’re looking at right now,” Palmer said.
“Without a doubt, he cared about his players. He checked
up on them academically and helped them become better
young men. I like Jeff, I consider Jeff a friend. This
wasn’t something that I wanted to do, but due to certain
aspects of his coaching style, we felt we needed a change
in direction.”
Speculation among some of Menday’s players as to the
one “aspect of (Menday’s) coaching style” Palmer was referring
to is the way in which Menday communicated with
his players. At least one of Menday’s former players believes
that an incident of this mal-communication occurred during
the team’s final game of the season – a 101-77 loss to
Whatcom Community College (WCC) on February 23. The
incident played a large part in Menday’s departure.
“To my understanding, some lady called in after the game
and said she didn’t like the way (Menday) was coaching –
she didn’t like the way he was talking to us,” said sophomore
guard Parys Fox. “That’s what I heard (from teammates). It
was some lady from WCC. (Menday and the woman) got
into an argument after the game and he was trying to tell
the lady to get away from him and said something like
‘Don’t tell me how to talk to my players’. I guess she took it
to the college and that was enough.”
“A lady did get on me after the game and I tried to get
away from her,” Menday said. “She tried to cause a scene
and I simply told her to get away from me. I tried very hard
to get away from her.”
Freshman forward Theron Laudermill, whom Menday
recruited from California, believes that despite the frustrations
that can come with coaching, Menday was a solid
coach. “I think he was a good coach,” Laudermill said.
“Everybody gets frustrated so it’s not like that makes him a
bad coach- I mean, he’s human. (Players) get frustrated too,
but it sometimes goes more on (the coaches) than on us.”
Laudermill also feels that it will take time for a new coach
to understand the level of talent that Menday had recruited.
“I’d rather (Menday) still be the coach because he’s the one
who recruited me,” Laudermill said. “I’d rather not have a
new coach who doesn’t know anything about my skills or
anything like that. (Next season,) I’d rather have played for
(Menday) than any other coach.”
The athletic department, meanwhile, has already begun
its search for Menday’s successor. According to Palmer,
many candidates have shown interest in the newly vacant
position within the first week. Though the 2008-09 season
doesn’t begin until November, Palmer hopes to have a new
coach ready in time to handle offseason recruiting.
“(The position) is already advertised and I’ve had several
telephone calls and emails,” Palmer said. “Hopefully, I’ll be
doing interviews next week (March 16-22). We want to take
care of this as fast as possible- basically, by April 1 I want to
try to have somebody named.”
While the search continues, first-year women’s basketball
coach Derek Witt has stepped in to take care of offseason
scheduling and scouting duties. Though Witt and Menday
were colleagues for only a season, Witt believes Menday will
find success in his future coaching endeavors.
“Jeff was good to me when I got (to SCC),” Witt said. “I
think he worked very hard with his players and wherever he
ends up (as a coach), I’m sure he’ll be very successful.”
| 
)