The allegations of favoritism against coach Benton Rimmer have surfaced, with social media users accusing him of giving preference to football players at the expense of other athletes.
A game that started as routine out-of-season tryouts for a spring sport at Milan Middle School sparked a heated debate among students and community members.
The concerns came to light after a post on Facebook by Tyeisha Ross gained attention among Milan families.
Ross, a graduate of Milan High School, voiced frustration over what she and others believe was an uneven playing field during the tryouts.
She wrote,
“Please not Milan! Plus who wants their child playing for a coach who supposedly does things fairly, but he missed that part,”
Tyeisha Ross
At the center of the controversy is the scheduling of tryouts, which, according to parents, unfairly aligned with the football season.
That overlap allegedly gave football players an easier path to participate while putting other students in a difficult position.
The School’s Athletic Director, who also serves as the middle school principal, responded publicly to the growing concerns. He stated,
“Several parents have expressed concerns regarding the same issue,” . “He understands that the scheduling should have been more accommodating, however, it wasn’t. The reason being is that their practice takes place during some of the fall season. Again, this is a spring sport. Also keep in mind half of the team participates in football. This was totally unfair for the other kids.”
Athletic Director
For many parents, that acknowledgement only reinforced their frustration. To them, the explanation sounded less like a solution and more like a justification.
Some felt it confirmed what they had already suspected: that football players were given an advantage.
The reaction on social media has been swift. R. Kimanee Pearson Parker commented on Ross’s post, stating,
Shane said this…I can’t believe it🤣🤣 he would of never said that at West Carroll…but go off then👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
R KImanee Pearson Parker
Others chimed in with support for Ross’s concerns. “Speaking nothing but facts!!” wrote Keionna Dickerson, while Shekida Coleman questioned whether the school planned to address the situation more directly.
“So are they going to fix it?” she asked.
Ross made clear that she wasn’t speaking out of casual frustration but out of commitment to her grandchildren’s right to fair treatment.
In one reply, she said,
“You know I got time today when it comes to my grandkids,”
Tyeisha Ross
The broader issue extends beyond Milan Middle School. Across the state and country, schools often struggle to balance the schedules and commitments of multi-sport athletes with those who specialize in one sport.
As the debate continues, families in Milan are watching closely to see if school officials will take corrective steps before the spring season begins.
