Aaron Lowe dismissed from Richlands girls basketball program

RICHLANDS, Va. (WVVA) - Aaron Lowe will no longer coach the Richlands girls varsity basketball team.

The Tazewell County School Board relieved Lowe of his duties early Monday morning. He and his wife then relayed the message to his players and their parents.

The only explanation given was “the program is going in a different direction.” That explanation didn’t satisfy his former players, their parents or the members of the Richlands community in attendance at the school board meeting on Monday night.

Some of Lowe’s former players spoke in support of him at the meeting. The girls spoke about how much he cares about his players, what he does for the community and his signature message of “teamwork, love, commitment” was a common theme.

Lowe has been coaching the Blue Tornado summer league team. They’ve played 21 games without a single loss. The players started a petition in attempt to get the board to overturn its decision. It had 160 signatures within the first hour.

One parent I spoke with on Monday said Lowe and his wife, “don’t coach basketball, they run a program.”

We will follow this story as it continues to develop.

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