The youth football veteran was accused of promoting racism, but he has defenders.

By ROBBYN MITCHELL, Times Staff Writer
Published January 19, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE -- A longtime youth football coach has stepped down at the end of a season marked by allegations that he promoted racist behavior on his practice field.

News of Ken Wing's retirement was posted this week on the Web site of the Temple Terrace Youth Sports Association, where Wing, 55, coached for 27 years.

Wing, a criminal lawyer, led his Wildcats to 263 wins and two championships. He served six times as president for the West Coast Youth Football Conference, the league's governing body.

Yet in his final season, a group of parents led a petition drive against him, saying he organized a foot race that pit black players against white players. They also accused him of joining a player in a chant of "white power."

Wing says a few parents blew the situation out of proportion, and parents loyal to him agree. He said he matched players against one another according to speed, not race; and when the white player yelled "white power," he disciplined the youth accordingly.

"That was the end of it," he said. "We talked to the boy involved and it was not racially motivated. ... In 27 years, I've never had a complaint like this."

The allegations surprised longtime league supporter Mike Hanson, who estimated Young's teams are 90 percent black. "I've known Ken since 1974, and he's not that kind of guy," he said.

Parent Jon Glass said many on the team were not even consulted. "It would be a shame for this man's 27-year career to be damaged by the false allegations of a few parents," he said.

While Wing described his retirement as a natural end to a long career, others believe the allegations played a part.

"They were absolutely a sore spot for him," football director Eric Jasinski said. "He expressed that he didn't like being accused of something racial."

Parents Amy Kelly, Tammy Hawthorne and Melanee Holder campaigned to oust Wing, with letters and phone calls in addition to the petition. Kelly is white; Hawthorne and Holder are black.

Holder said she saw Wing line two boys up to run a race -- between the races.

"He lined them up one black, one white and then said, 'Who would you put your money on?'" Then he gestured that he would bet on the black player, she said.

"These boys have enough people trying to pit them against one another," Holder said. "The last thing they need is the coach dividing the team."

After the race, Hawthorne said a white player ran past Wing pumping his fist and yelling, "White power!" To her amazement, she said, Wing returned the gesture to the student.

Jasinski said he is certain Hawthorne heard the boy correctly, but thinks Wing's action may have been misinterpreted.

"He has a severe hearing problem," Jasinski said. "So I doubt he heard what the boy was saying."

But Hawthorne said Wing repeated the phrase to the child.

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