MILWAUKEE, Wis. — More Milwaukee Public School coaches are speaking out against the problems inside the interscholastics athletics program.
"Our voices don't matter, hasn't mattered for two to three years now, five years, since whenever she arrived," one coach said.
The coach is referring to MPS' Athletics Commissioner Bobbie Kelsey.
Monday, Jenna Rae talked with two fall sport coaches who said they weren't getting paid.Now, she talks with winter and spring sport coaches who say after this fall season, and seeing Rae's investigations, they're even more concerned.
Thursday night, dozens of MPS coaches had their annual winter sports meeting.
"Usually it's an information session, but I mean, we really don't know what's going to happen today, who's going to be there, what it's going to be about," a coach said.
Watch: 'Our voices don't matter' MPS coaches voice concerns over athletics leadership
We talked to three coaches, who wish to remain anonymous, and said after years of turmoil inside MPS athletics they want answers.
"What's the plan going forward, are we moving in a different direction, are we gonna make changes, necessary changes for us to be successful as a school district, as coaches, as players," another coach asked.
In the last month, TMJ4 has learned several sports teams have been forced to forfeit games because administration failed to turn in paperwork, coaches haven't been paid on time, and neither have referees.
Coaches, referees, and district employees tell TMJ4 News that it all falls back on Kelsey.
"It's kinda like, it's a dictatorship. It's either her way or no way. If you're supposed to be for the kids, then you at least have to listen to what the coaches and people who have been in the trenches have to say," another coach added.
It's trenches these three coaches have been in for a combined 43 years.
"If you care about kids, you're scared about the program," one coach said.
"Coaches giving up their time," another chimed in.
"Just the city of Milwaukee, these sports bring people to the game, bring people together. Yeah, biggest district, we're building the city up," the third coach said.
"Have you guys thought about walking away," Rae asked the three coaches.
They all replied yes.
"It's something about these kids that make it very hard to walk away from, cause that one kid you walk away from you may read about him in the newspaper or he's in jail. Without us, they have nothing. No father figures, nobody to talk to, nobody to be around," the coach explained.
Last week, this letter below was sent to the MPS Board of Directors.
It's signed by a concerned employee within the Milwaukee Recreation Department, which is over Interscholastics Athletics.
In it, the employee writes "Commissioner Kelsey's leadership has created a toxic work environment characterized by a hostile work environment, disorganization and a lack of direction, unfair hiring, and retaliation."
"Something definitely needs to be done about it," one coach said.
"What is that something," Rae asked.
"Change," all three coaches responded.
"What does that look like for you guys though," Rae asked.
"Different leadership," they responded.
We reached out to MPS district leaders about these concerns, but haven't heard back.
Some board directors said they did receive that letter from the concerned employee, but said they can't discuss personnel matters.
Coaches said at Thursday night's meeting, Kelsey talked briefly with them and apologized, but deflected, what they call, a lot of the blame.
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