Kevin Murphy has been reinstated as the head coach of the boys’ swimming & diving team at Southlake Carroll High School, but not the girls, Carrol ISD said in a press release. The announcement is the latest in what has been a chaotic few years for high school swimming in suburban Dallas, and comes about a month after Murphy was “reassigned” from the post he had held for 20 years.
Murphy has led the Southlake Carroll boys’ and girls’ swimming & diving teams to 15 team state titles in his tenure. Last season, the girls finished 2nd and the boys 12th at the state championship meet.
Justin Pudwill, the district’s aquatics supervisor and head water polo coach, will assume the role of the head coach of the girls’ team.
While in some states, especially midwestern states that have different boys’ and girls’ high school swim seasons, it’s not uncommon for the teams to have different head coaches. In Texas, where the teams have identical seasons, it is almost unheard of.
From the Press Release:
“We’re excited about the future of our swim program,” said Athletic Director Riley Dodge. “Having both Coach Murphy and Coach Pudwill in leadership positions allows us to provide the best possible support for our student-athletes. Their combined expertise and passion for the sport will elevate our program even further.”
Carroll ISD looks forward to continued success in the pool with both coaches working collaboratively to guide our student-athletes to new heights.
No explanation for Murphy’s reassignment, or the decision to bring him back as only the boys’ coach, has been given by the district, though local observers say that the complaints that prompted the move were brought forward by members of the girls’ team whose parents are influential boosters for Southlake Carroll’s football team.
The school’s athletics director is Riley Dodge, who is also a former star quarterback for the school and head football coach.
One local parent says that they were told by the AD that there were no applicants for the position.
Murphy took over the programs in 2005 and was named to the Carroll ISD Athletic Hall of Honor in 2017. The Carroll boys have won 10 state titles in that era, including nine straight from 2011 to 2019, and the Carroll girls won five state titles from 2012 through 2022.
Earlier this week, nearby Keller High School received a public reprimand for violating UIL rules by allowing swimmers to train with a USA Swimming club team during the school day. Maximus Williamson, one of the top high school swimmers in the country, just graduated from Keller High School, but began his high school swimming career at Southlake Carroll.
To further explain this- this is cause the girls team got him fired and reported him and complained excessively not the guys.
Sorry you have issue with courageous girls who are not afraid to have their voices heard and to advocate for improvement instead of settling for status quo.
Same thing at Keller. Entire issue is with girls team and their parents. Dragging the boys programs through the mud with their drama.
Looks like Southlake finally realized this is why you don’t combine programs.
Don’t know anything about Keller but amused with “gender divide” comments (hopefully not from grown men). I watched the public comments at board meeting, Murphy’s supporters were primarily Tigersharks (summer recreation swim program) and JV swimmers’ parents (no clear distinction between girls and boys parents). The parents of varsity swimmers (both boys and girls) who scored points at recent State Championship were mysteriously absent. Nice try but stop pushing your sexist theory.
Because state point scoring kids and their parents are the only voices that really matter?
Is that the perspective here?
Can someone justify why then it was only state scoring girl parents who privately met with the school Board and AD to try and get him fired? Were all state scoring parents invited to said meetings? Any boys? And if so, why not? Was it because they didn’t agree with their views or tactics, or shared notes apps with all the ways to get someone fired?
Carroll swim team is A high school TEAM filled with student athletes. Some are point scorers, some are not. Some are on jv or dive but don’t discount their voices because… Read more »
My question was why didn’t the fast varsity swimmers (ie scored points at state) speak up for Murphy? My observation is it is not about girls vs. boys, like how you would like to portray it. Loud “noises” are everywhere, noises and not voices, because they are meant to distract and damage the future of a good program. Let the point scorers have a voice on program that builds them to be more competitive and win championships. There is always JV for those who just want to make noise. Swimming is a non-cut sports. It is not that deep!
Riley Dodge. What an outstanding name for a Texas former star qb turned Head Football Coach and AD.
I actually applied, spoke to the athletic director over the phone multiple times, and had an interview set up. I have texts from the AD and the Assistant AD confirming the interview time. The day before, I received a text that they would be postponing the interview. I never heard back. So whatever the AD and the district are putting out there, is unequivocally false.
I think the ‘read between the lines’ is they came to a compromise of finding a one year arrangement to let the swimmers in question graduate, then things will return as they were.
So there is a possibility he’ll return to coach both? Ugh. So glad I don’t have to interact with him anymore.
Keller? Sorry, wrong school.
A few people (5) applied but dropped out and CISD was left with NOBODY that would take that spot. Nobody in the swim world wants to work with Coach Murphy. Excluding Paul Wallace and Heather Maher who are not welcome CISD due to past issues.
He consistently works to blame others and tries to get them fired. Hence the NTN blow up in 2022 and the last state championship he won.
I would never work for him or recommend any reputable coach to work with him. The lack of applicants serves as a reflection to Murphy’s
From personal and daily observations:
He sits down on his phone during practices and hasn’t updated a workout in the last decade.… Read more »
Did they hire someone to only work with the girls? Is Murphy involved in any other way, or is it that he was still employed by the district?
The aquatics director/water polo coach will coach the girls team. Murphy still employed by ISD.
That’s 100% not true. I know first hand a very well respected coach in the state was set to interview and they postponed it.
Postponed because no one wants to work with Murphy?
I’m guessing postponed because they decided to reinstate him.
The top candidate for the high school position was no longer an option due to political climate issues within the district brought on by the new superintendent. After they realized that coach wouldn’t work, they had no others to turn to…
Cannot attest to anyone wanting or being able to work with Murphy. But can attest to people not wanting to be told how to do their job. If an AD tells an applicant they will need to adhere to the club coaches and the strength and conditioning coach, then that puts them third in line for the program they were hired to run.
No, thank you.
There are good, quality high school coaches who actually do know what they are doing. Some have chosen the high school pathway to suit their preferred lifestyle/family after coaching club for decades.
This didn’t sound like a collaboration opportunity.
“There are good, quality high school coaches who actually do know what they are doing.”
True, but Murphy isn’t one of them. At best, he is a JV coach. Without the support of local club teams, there wouldn’t be any championships. His methods are outdated and lack substance or innovation. Administrators are fooled to believing the achievements of the swimmers was by his hand and not the true development of club programs. Otherwise, more championships would have been won since 2022.
That comment wasn’t in regards to Murphy. It referenced a position applicant.
But your point does drive home the idea many hold in belief that high school coaches bring no success to athletes.
This attitude is the wrench.
It is true that high school coaches can do a lot of good and help their athletes success. However, I saw a high school coach with absolutely no clue replace someone who could coach, win a state title, and lose his job because he was absolutely clueless. Someone even remarked that if he had known what he was doing, the team would have won by a bigger margin. And no one seemed bothered by the guy losing his job. So it is possible for a team to win a high school title and the coach have no impact on the situation.
First to comment? This story must only be a few minutes old. The food fight that is sure to ensue in this comment section will be legendary.
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