From the Archives: October 10, 1970.

Dear Mr. Troppmann,

I respect your decision to resign as Redwood’s Athletic Director due to Mr. Torrey’s decision that overruled your department’s policy on grooming. You must be very dedicated to your beliefs. Unfortunately, sometimes our beliefs can interfere with someone else’s personal rights.
 

Redwood’s educational program is split into distinct departments of which you are now the director of two; Boys P.E. and the athletic program. The individual departments are responsible for the education of any and all students that come in contact with the department. Should any department fail to accomplish this properly, it is required to change. The Athletic Department failed yet to change, necessitating the intervention of Acting Superintendent Torrey.
Your position is that you have the right to make rules concerning personal standards in the name of discipline and an effective athletic program. Mr. Troppmann, you have the right; no, you have the responsibility to make rules concerning discipline, but in doing so, no one can give you the right to deny any student or fellow coach involved in the program his personal rights.
An athlete is not a person who relinquishes all his rights as an individual to be under the power of a coach. No, Mr. Troppmann, an athlete is a person dedicated to a sport and learns self-discipline.
But Mr. Troppmann, just because you can’t control the athletes’ minds and their individual philosophies does not mean you can’t have a team. You’re in control of their actions on the field and in training. On the field, your command as a coach must be obeyed.
I’m sure you realize that the student body allots a great deal of its budget to athletics. Many of those students who in reality pay to participate in sports by purchasing a student body card feel they have the right to demand some say in how our program is operated. Yes, it is our program. We pay for its operation and we participate in it.
Until we realize that the students are responsible to the Athletic Department and the department is in turn responsible to the student, Redwood’s athletic program will be thoroughly disrupted and unable to accomplish its objectives.
I feel that you want the best program possible for Redwood and will assist us as much as possible in finding it.

Thank you,

Michael A. Kast