William L. Fibkins, Center for Empowerment, Bayport, NY
This is the case study of how one student-centered school, Shoreham-Wading River School, handled the death of teacher
and coach Clifford Lennon.
The Coach
Shoreham-Wading River High School basketball coach Clifford Lennon had come to the school in 1985 after a successful
20-year career as an engineer. He had always wanted to teach and decided the time was right to make a career change.
During his interview for the position, the school administration and teaching staff found him to be a bright, caring
person with a mission to teach and coach teenagers.
Within a year of his hiring, Lennon had made his mark. He coached the girls' softball and boys' lacrosse teams at the middle
school and became the head basketball coach at the high school. He was filled with energy and a zeal for helping
students. He arrived at school an hour before classes started to tutor students in math and science and advise them
on personal problems. After school he would coach from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. On many nights he would stay on to tutor
and advise students and meet parents. He regularly chaperoned social functions at the middle school and high school
and served as a faculty adviser on field trips.
Students found him, as a coach, to be a winner who encouraged student athletes to be all they could be. But he could
also be tough when that skill was needed to prod a reluctant student or athlete... By 1989 Lennon had established a reputation
as a gifted and caring teacher and adviser and a winning coach.
The Illness
The 1990-91 basketball season was a grueling experience for Lennon. His team won the league title and made it to
the county finals. Many of the games were close and hard-fought. In March Lennon told me he was thinking about giving up
coaching basketball. He reported that he felt burned out by the rigors of the season. He was experiencing severe
stomach pains and just did not feel well. He planned to get a complete medical check-up before making a final decision.
The results of the medical check-up proved to be more serious than giving up coaching. He was diagnosed as having
cancer. Even as he was burdened with this report, he voiced concern about how he could keep up his energy to continue
helping his students.
At first Lennon approached the disease the way he approached his life. He told me he would beat the cancer and he
didn't want others to worry about him....The principal hired a permanent substitute teacher to help Lennon in the classroom...[the
athletic director] approached Lennon and sold him on the idea of a co-coach...the plan was to let Lennon take the
lead and let [the co-coach] take over slowly, if and as needed. This would allow Lennon the dignity of making
a decision to step down on his own when the time came...
By mid-December the team was in first place and playing with great skill and courage. Team members dedicated the
season to Coach Lennon: They were going to win the league championship for him...By Christmas Lennon was very ill.
... Each evening after practice or a game, [the co-coach] would arrive at the hospital to tell Lennon about the
team's progress.
Cliff Lennon died on January 27, 1992...the basketball team was scheduled to play in the county playoffs on the day
of Lennon's wake. Some staff members and parents wanted the game postponed, but the coaches argued that "Lennon would
want us to play. What better gift could we bring to the wake?" The game went on and the team won. When the team
arrived at the wake, they were greeted with quiet applause and hugs...It seemed that playing, winning, and living
had given them the courage to deal with, and accept, his death.