LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In April, we reported Bishop Gorman High School suspended its baseball coach to conduct an investigation into the program.
Thursday, the school announced their investigation had concluded and head coach Chris Sheff will not return.
He released the following statement that day:
I have not been told why I was dismissed. One would think they would give me some kind of reason that isn't ambiguous especially after 2.5 months.
It's been rumored that a group of parents of kids who were dropped down to the junior varsity team
were the instigators.
I don't need to toot my own horn -- all those championships are there. I put my heart and soul into
building Gorman into a national power. So this just seems unfathomable and unfair.
Gorman had seven futile years (2016-23), so they asked me back. As you know we then
won another state crown (35-2).
I had a great number of people in my corner hoping that I would return. I really appreciate that.
I'm not bitter about this, just very disappointed in the Gorman administration and the diocese.
I wish the next Gorman coach the best of luck. He's going to need it.
In a Channel 13 exclusive interview, Nick Walters spoke with Sheff to learn more.
"We're gonna let you go," Sheff said. "And I asked why, and they said it was to do with violations of the handbook. So, I don't have any clear answers. They haven't given me the exact reason why I've been let go."
A change of guard at one of Nevada's top high school baseball programs has come with some controversy.
"This was handled wrong. This could've been a quick investigation, and if you decided I did something right away, then let's move on, but you dragged it on. They're on national trips without their head coach and no matter what, your head coach is your leader. There's a lot to rebuild now. It's going to be a big chore to get that program back to where it was."
After leading the Gaels to a 5A state championship last year, Coach Sheff was suspended mid-season when the school received complaints about the baseball program.
"I was suspended April 5 and called into the president's office with the athletic director, and they told me that they were going to suspend me and they were going to look into allegations that I had basically gone against the handbook of Bishop Gorman and the diocese. I asked at that point if you could expand on it and they couldn't."
The school released the following statement on Thursday:
The administration made the decision not to retain head coach Chris Sheff. As this involves a personnel matter, there will be no further comments.
"At the beginning of the year, we were going to keep 25 players on our roster, and we had about seven juniors who were in danger zone of making the club," Sheff explained. "They had been through our club stuff, they had been with us all year, and we just chose at the end to keep them. We felt like they were going to have a chance to be a part of the program.
"We were honest with them upfront. You're probably not going to play. We have a national trip we're going on and we're only taking 25 kids, so they were well-aware that there wasn't much playing opportunity for them. We spread out into five clubs during the year and they played all year for us. A week before we were going on our national trip to go to North Carolina in our national tournament, I sit them down a week earlier to adjust to the group because they were going to have to be with the other group and all hell broke loose from there.
"It feels like that group of parents colluded and tried to throw out this and that. Just tried to make me answer to questions that any coach in any program in America would have to answer to."
Thursday's firing marks the end of Sheff's second stint at Gorman. The former big leaguer coaching the Gaels to five straight state championships from 2006 to 2010 before taking a college job and running a southern Nevada youth baseball program.
"I feel like I've been treated unfairly. I've had hundreds and hundreds of kids go play Division 1 baseball. I'm proud of the kids that have become firefighters in our town. We've had some kids go through our program, we've had big leaguers, and most of if not all the kids that have played for me know my heart - I'm genuine - I'm a mentor and this is what I love to do. It's just an unfortunate situation the school put us through," Sheff said.
Sheff told Channel 13 that he believes coaches lack protection against the voices of disgruntled parents and that our valley is losing great coaches because of it.
