High school basketball: Jerry Parker fired as South Summit coach

A year after guiding South Summit to the 2A boys basketball state championship, coach Jerry Parker has been let go.

Parker said principal Gary Twitchell called him into his office on Monday, and informed him he didn't have the backing of the parents.

"It's nuts. I'm not happy with it," said Parker, who will remain as the Wildcats' head football coach assuming he doesn't explore his options elsewhere. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm shocked. I just feel like the program's in a good spot right now to keep going."

Parker had been the head basketball coach for three years. The Wildcats were 11-13 in his first year, finishing sixth at state. Last year they hoisted the state championship trophy with a 17-8 record, and this year the Wildcats lost to South Sevier in the 2A state championship game to finish with a record of 20-5.

"I guess I should've won it," said Parker.

This isn't the first time Parker has been fired from a coaching position at his alma mater. In 1994 Parker was forced out as the football coach after just three seasons. He spent the next 10 years as an assistant football and basketball coach at Granger High.

South Summit re-hired him as the football coach in 2005, and he's compiled a 42-24 record in his six years at the helm. In 2008 he was hired as the school's basketball coach.

Principal Twitchell wasn't immediately available for comment.

e-mail: jedward@desnews.com