Less than one week after Rice Memorial High School officials told St. Ambroise Azagoh-Kouadio that he would not return as the school’s girls varsity soccer coach, Rice principal Rev. Bernard Bourgeois announced Saturday that he had reversed his decision.
It remains unclear why Azagoh-Kouadio, better known as Azzie, was originally told he would no longer be part of Rice’s girls soccer program.
“After listening to the girls on the team, their parents, and other interested parties, it was evident to me that Azzie should be the team’s coach,” Bourgeois told the Burlington Free Press.
Azagoh-Kouadio, a native of the Ivory Coast, said he was happy to return.
“I want to thank all the people who supported me, especially my soccer teams because they are the ones who know me best,” Azagoh-Kouadio said.
Shortly after it was learned that Azagoh-Kouadio would not be asked to return as Rice’s coach, 125 students staged a 40-minute walkout at Rice, a Catholic high school. Rice also received numerous phone calls and e-mail messages from parents and alumni commenting and inquiring about Azagoh-Kouadio’s removal.
Bourgeois said the school’s original decision was based on incomplete information.
“I hadn’t taken the time to review it as thoroughly as I should have done,” Bourgeois said in a statement. “After the walkout, I decided to ask for the input of all parties involved in varsity girls soccer – something I should have done prior to my original decision.
“I have apologized to Azzie privately; I do so publicly through this statement. I respect him, his abilities to teach and coach, and what he brings to Rice.”
Azagoh-Kouadio, who has taught French at Rice for 21 years, has guided Rice to a 97-60-4 record in his 10 years as the program’s head coach. Rice has won seven Lake Division championships during Azagoh-Kouadio’s tenure, as well as the Division I state championship in 1999. Rice was 11-5-0 and 10-5-1 in the last two seasons.
Azagoh-Kouadio left the Ivory Coast to study and play soccer at St. Michael’s College, which hired him as the school’s women’s soccer coach in 1988. He was the winningest coach in the program’s history when he left that job in 1996.
Baseball: Mount Mansfield Honors Slayton
Bob Slayton, who coached the Mount Mansfield Union varsity baseball team from 1975 until he resigned last year, had his number (No. 27) retired during a school assembly Tuesday.
Slayton guided the Cougars to four state championships. He ranks fourth among Vermont high school baseball coaches with 356 career victories.
“We had a great run,” Slayton told the Burlington Free Press. “We had a tremendous run with tremendous kids. I enjoyed working with every single one.”
Slayton, who teaches Latin at Mount Mansfield, began his coaching career at Hazen Union, where he coached the junior varsity baseball program for two years and the varsity program for one season. His 1998 Mount Mansfield team was the first Division I Vermont team to finish 20-0. He also guided Mount Mansfield to the state title in 1980, 1995 and 2000.
