Brien McMurray This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. HometownAnnapolis.com, High School Sports - Emergency coaches: Hiring plan puts coaches on the spot

   www.capitalonline.com/cgi-bin/ - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/25/2006   Last Visited: 7/25/2006

   Brien McMurray, a physical education teacher at Chesapeake Bay Middle School at the time and veteran lacrosse coach, applied and interviewed for the Severna Park position for three straight years. In each instance, Bellotte was hired instead, which finally led McMurray to file a series of grievances with the Board of Education.
   ...
   "He sued to get a job - a job where he wasn't wanted," Bellotte said of McMurray.
   ...
   The next year, McMurray resigned after leading Severna Park to an 18-1 record and another runner-up finish in the state tournament. He cited an "effort to undermine his ability to be an effective coach" as the reason he stepped down.
   
   Players and parents never fully embraced McMurray, who, despite a successful record, was met with stiff resistance while he was at the helm.
   
   McMurray retired from full-time teaching in 1974 and has is now a personal trainer for SportFit in Severna Park. He still works with high school athletes, conducting a seven-week strength and conditioning camp in the summer.
   
   "The whole situation did not leave a sour taste in my mouth and I've learned to put it behind me," McMurray said. "Hindsight is 20-20 and knowing what I know now, I wouldn't do it again.
   
   McMurray said of his resignation three weeks after leading Severna Park to the state title: "In the end, there were too many forces against met and it it just wasn't worth it anymore."
   
   He thinks emergency coaches can play a vital role.

2. 2. Youth Lacrosse USA | Home of Lacrosse - YouthLax.com

   www.youthlacrosseusa.com/hsnew - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/14/2003   Last Visited: 1/3/2008

   Brien McMurray resigned as head boys' lacrosse coach at Severna Park High yesterday after one season, ending a tumultuous reign at the top of one of the area's high-profile programs.
   
   McMurray, 51, replaced former coach Mike Bellotte amid controversy last summer.
   ...
   McMurray, who is a physical education and health teacher at Chesapeake Bay Middle School, filed a grievance with the Board of Education because he had been denied the Severna Park job since 1999. Anne Arundel County ruled in favor of McMurray, and he took over the team amid protests from some parents and players.
   
   McMurray guided Severna Park to an 18-1 record this season that included an Anne Arundel County championship and a return to the state final, which it lost, 13-12, to Dulaney. However, McMurray said he felt he had yet to win over parts of the community.
   
   "Early on, it was apparent to me that I was in a no-win situation," McMurray said. "From the start I never had the full support of all the parents and players connected with the lacrosse program."
   
   McMurray said his house and cars were vandalized on three separate occasions, T-shirts with degrading messages about him were distributed and he received anonymous letters that "questioned my coaching, questioned my character, questioned my strategy."