Havelock football community flocks to school board meeting in support of coach Caleb King

HAVELOCK, N.C. (WITN) -Havelock football players tackled the chance to vouch for their beloved coach Caleb King during the Craven County Board of Education meeting Thursday night.

Many feel his hiring process as head coach has been swept under the rug by the board, due to what they believe is a hidden agenda of internal dislike.

Black and white filled the Grover C Fields Middle School Performing Arts Center as Havelock pride was on full display for King.

Current and former Rams football players who’ve been coached and mentored by King spoke highly of the longtime offensive coordinator and Havelock alum.

Back on February 17th, King told WITN he’d be taking over as the Rams head coach following in house conversations, he and Allen Wooten had about the alleged coaching swap.

However, some say the hiring was never formally approved or announced by the school board.

Current players and parents spoke about the kind of man and leader King is, with hopes of persuading the school board.

“We don’t know what kind of mentors and guidance that our children have,” said Jennifer Baglivi, Havelock football parent. “What a blessing it would be to have someone in our school like coach King, who actually worries about our children.”

“Coach King can help all of us out,” said Damian Vance, Havelock football player. “He helps us academically and on the field. We all just love him.”

“We really don’t know who’s going to have the head coach spot,” said a dismayed Cedric Farrar, Havelock football player. “It’s all just crazy and happened in the matter of one day. We’re hoping, we’re praying, and we’re waiting.”

King’s head coaching situation wasn’t on Thursday’s agenda for a formal discussion, however about a dozen flocked to the mic during the public comment period.

After spending an hour and a half in closed session, board members came out empty handed with no action taken or answers regarding the group’s alleged declining of King’s head coaching nomination.

Stay with us on WITN.com as we continue to gather information about the controversial head coaching situation.

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