Documents shed light on Deike dismissal

Two player complaints and a strained relationship with the University’s athletic director may have played a part in the release of former women’s basketball coach Terri Deike, according to documents the Texas Attorney General ordered released.

The Patriot Talon reviewed letters and e-mails detailing specific complaints about Deike’s coaching tactics and documented arguments between Athletic Director James Vilade and Deike.

The Talon requested documents under the Texas Public Information Act in July after University officials decided not to renew Deike’s contract.
Officials originally released Deike’s contracts and evaluations; however, officials sought an attorney general’s ruling on the release of other requested documents.

The attorney general’s office ruled in September the University must release some documents, but exempted e-mail addresses and material deemed attorney-client privilege. Names of the players and their family also were withheld under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The University received the main letter of grievance against Deike in February, written by a “family representative” of a former player from Houston. The name is redacted from the letter released to the Talon, but Deike identified the player referred to in the letter as Bianca Chambless, a guard from Danbury High School who left the University mid-season.

The writer said Deike talked down to the players and lacked confidence in them during losing streaks. The writer also accused Deike of forcing the disgruntled athlete to run more than other players, and that the coach referred to the player as a “punk” and “smart aleck.”

A separate complaint received in January from a student-athlete’s parent voiced similar concerns, including an allegation that Deike was responsible for the “failure of the current UT Tyler women’s program losses.”

Dan Dutcher, NCAA vice president for Div. III, received the same complaint, but declined to review the situation, telling Patterson in an e-mail the complaint needed “to be addressed at the institutional level.”

The “representative” periodically contacted officials to check on what the writer referred to as an “investigation” and wrote a “thank you” e-mail to Vilade and Patterson after Deike’s release.

“We are sincerely sad that it had to come to that final decision, but we are overjoyed that ultimately she will not have the opportunity to treat more girls that way,” the writer said.

Deike responded in March to each allegation made by the “family representative” in February in a five and a half page letter. Deike admitted to calling the athlete a “smart aleck jerk,” and disciplining her with extra running.

Deike said the player did not pay attention during practice, talked and  was disruptive during study hall. She said she lacked confidence in the player’s abilities. She also noted a conversation with the player in which the player said she was accustomed to coaching herself in high school.

“She refused to buy into the philosophies of the women’s basketball program, thus resulting in a skill set that did not warrant playing time,” Deike said in the March letter.

Deike said she did not recruit the player, but was persistently e-mailed by her while the player was still in high school. She said she decided to give the student a chance because of her persistence.

Assistant athletic trainer Adam Hotaling submitted a letter to Vilade in April and shared his observations about the disgruntled student athlete’s semester with the team.

Hotaling said the player’s “attitude and demeanor was less than stellar … she didn’t handle constructive criticism well and didn’t seem to show much respect to the members of the coaching staff.”

Overall Effect

Deike said the lack of leadership on the team led her to be tougher on players, which led to frustration. The frustration apparently led to some players transferring. Four players returned this season, while two graduated in May. Notes from a phone conversation between Vilade and an unnamed former player revealed it was a difficult season for everyone.

That player said she “put up with a bad situation as a freshman and sophomore and was not going to come back.” The player also said Deike “could coach, but players were sick of her actions and her unpredictability.” Other letters obtained by the Talon spoke highly of Deike and her work ethic. One letter praised Deike for her dedication to the University and its students.

“Deike has always been willing to help whoever came knocking on her door,” a University graduate wrote. “I doubt that the university would be sitting where they are today with the NCAA without Coach Deike … I have never met a coach or faculty member more cognizant of what students and athletes need. If the University feels that a person such as Coach Deike is not qualified to be included in their community then I am doubting how much the University holds stock in ‘honesty, integrity and leadership’.”

“She was a wonderful leader in both Fellowship of Christian Athletes and SAAC. Hearing her words of encouragement, her joy and her candid life lessons continue to inspire many who attended FCA,” a current UT Tyler graduate student and former cross country runner wrote. “Above all coach Deike is a true friend to me and in many instance has been a large part of what I consider right about UT Tyler.”

Vilade relationship

The strained relationship between Deike and Vilade also is evident in the e-mails and other documents obtained by the Talon.
Deike began her collegiate career with the University in 2003. Vilade was hired as the baseball coach the same year. Both also served as associate athletic directors under Dr. Howard Patterson.

They applied for Patterson’s job when he was promoted to Vice President of Student Affairs. Vilade was given the job in the summer of 2008. Deike has said in previous interviews with the Talon she believes she didn’t get the job because the administration is afraid of “women in power.”

In a July 26 letter to Deike, Vilade recalled a conversation in which told her “You expressed that in your opinion the recent decision regarding the filling of the AD position had included factors that were at the very least unfair to you, and perhaps discriminatory.”

Vilade documented instances with Deike in memos to Joe Vorsas, director of human resources. In one letter, he said that on two occasions Deike made “strong accusations” and initiated what he believed to be “harassing behavior” toward him, which created an “uncomfortable situation” in the workplace.

Vilade also directed Deike to express her concerns to the human resources department. His memo to Vorsas did indicate Deike had apologized for her behavior involving one incident.

In December, Vilade sent a memo to Vorsas stating three different female employees complained of being harassed by Deike when dealing with department issues. Vilade noted that “her actions were inappropriate and hurtful.” There was no indication in the information released that either the athletic department nor human resources took any action concerning the harassment accusations.