Cody Geyer: It was a 'down right dirty deal' being fired from Christ School
David Thompson Asheville Citizen Times
ARDEN — Cody Geyer, who was fired as Christ School's baseball coach Aug. 7, said Tuesday that his dismissal from the Arden private school was "a down right dirty deal" after producing a 67-11 record in four years.
"It wasn't that I was fired, it was how I was fired," Geyer said. "They knew for months that they wanted to replace me, but they waited to do it two weeks before the school year starts? They left me in a position to where I can't get another job right now."
Geyer said he had a conversation with a member of the Christ School administration Aug. 16 – nine days after he was fired – that the school had started the process of replacing him 10 weeks prior.
"I was told by administration that they 'fell asleep at the wheel' when it came to me getting fired," Geyer said. "All of this was done behind my back and it was a crappy deal."
Christ School announced Wesley King, who has served as the West Henderson Falcons baseball coach since the summer of 2017, as its new coach Aug. 14.
King was Geyer's high school baseball coach during his senior year at North Buncombe in 2010. King had a 29-27 record at West Henderson. Two players from the Greenies baseball team have transferred since Geyer was fired.
"I just wanted to know why they didn't fire me 10 weeks ago or a year ago?" Geyer said. "I expected a lot more from Christ School. I hoped they'd do things the right way."
Geyer said he was fired over the phone by Athletic Director Eric Thorp and Head of Schools Paul Krieger Aug. 7 because the school was looking for a coach who could also teach full-time.
Geyer, a former 14th-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011, does not have a college degree, which is required for all Christ School teachers. Geyer has a full-time job selling medical equipment outside of coaching. This was the first head coaching position of his career.
“A school requirement for all teachers is a mandatory four-year college degree," Krieger said. "Cody was here for three years, and although reminded on many occasions, never began the process for a college degree.”
Geyer denies that claim and said he was the one to bring up going back to school to the administration. Geyer played college baseball at Walters State (Tenn.).
Geyer said he was told he could "pick the narrative" and resign instead of being fired.
"I told them if they were choosing to let me go, I was not going to reach out to my kids and tell them I resigned," he said. "You aren't going to put that on me."
Krieger said that he does not "regret the final decision" of firing Geyer, but he does "regret the turmoil it has caused for the program, Cody, and our players."
"Cody had been a positive for the program and has done some nice things here, we just are headed in a different direction with a full-time, on-campus faculty member/coach to guide our program and mentor our players," Krieger said.
David Thompson is an award-winning reporter for the Citizen Times. He can be reached at dthompson@citizentimes.com, at 828-231-1747, or on Twitter at @acthshuddle.
David Thompson Asheville Citizen Times
ARDEN — Cody Geyer, who was fired as Christ School's baseball coach Aug. 7, said Tuesday that his dismissal from the Arden private school was "a down right dirty deal" after producing a 67-11 record in four years.
"It wasn't that I was fired, it was how I was fired," Geyer said. "They knew for months that they wanted to replace me, but they waited to do it two weeks before the school year starts? They left me in a position to where I can't get another job right now."
Geyer said he had a conversation with a member of the Christ School administration Aug. 16 – nine days after he was fired – that the school had started the process of replacing him 10 weeks prior.
"I was told by administration that they 'fell asleep at the wheel' when it came to me getting fired," Geyer said. "All of this was done behind my back and it was a crappy deal."
Christ School announced Wesley King, who has served as the West Henderson Falcons baseball coach since the summer of 2017, as its new coach Aug. 14.
King was Geyer's high school baseball coach during his senior year at North Buncombe in 2010. King had a 29-27 record at West Henderson. Two players from the Greenies baseball team have transferred since Geyer was fired.
"I just wanted to know why they didn't fire me 10 weeks ago or a year ago?" Geyer said. "I expected a lot more from Christ School. I hoped they'd do things the right way."
Geyer said he was fired over the phone by Athletic Director Eric Thorp and Head of Schools Paul Krieger Aug. 7 because the school was looking for a coach who could also teach full-time.
Geyer, a former 14th-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011, does not have a college degree, which is required for all Christ School teachers. Geyer has a full-time job selling medical equipment outside of coaching. This was the first head coaching position of his career.
“A school requirement for all teachers is a mandatory four-year college degree," Krieger said. "Cody was here for three years, and although reminded on many occasions, never began the process for a college degree.”
Geyer denies that claim and said he was the one to bring up going back to school to the administration. Geyer played college baseball at Walters State (Tenn.).
Geyer said he was told he could "pick the narrative" and resign instead of being fired.
"I told them if they were choosing to let me go, I was not going to reach out to my kids and tell them I resigned," he said. "You aren't going to put that on me."
Krieger said that he does not "regret the final decision" of firing Geyer, but he does "regret the turmoil it has caused for the program, Cody, and our players."
"Cody had been a positive for the program and has done some nice things here, we just are headed in a different direction with a full-time, on-campus faculty member/coach to guide our program and mentor our players," Krieger said.
David Thompson is an award-winning reporter for the Citizen Times. He can be reached at dthompson@citizentimes.com, at 828-231-1747, or on Twitter at @acthshuddle.
