When Boyce Hodge decided to fight for his job as athletic director at Madison West High School last summer, he didn't expect the battle to eventually cost him his coaching job, too.
But Hodge said Tuesday that he was forced to resign as the Regents' boys' basketball coach or risk a non-renewal of his coaching contract.
Hodge said he has submitted what he called an "involuntary resignation" letter after a meeting last Friday with West principal Ed Holmes and West Side athletic director Tim Svendsen. `
A 1981 West grad, who compiled a 114-134 record over the past 11 years as the Regents' head coach, Hodge was suspended under Big Eight Conference rules last January after he received two technical fouls and was ejected from a game against Madison East.
But Hodge said the threat of a non-renewal of his coaching contract was retaliation for his testimony against the Madison Metropolitan School District during an arbitration dispute with the teacher union.
Svendsen was hired to replace Hodge and Madison Memorial athletic director Tim Ritchie in August when the district changed the athletic director's job at each of the four city public schools to an administrative position covering two schools on the East side and two schools on the West side.
Svendsen and East Side athletic director Dave Kapp were also given the authority to hire and fire coaches.
MTI executive director John Matthews has battled to restore the jobs of the four former ADs. Hodge said he believes that his recent testimony in support of that effort led to Friday's meeting and his forced resignation.
"This was not a decision based on my performance as a coach,'' Hodge said. "There's no question the testimony I presented was a factor.''
Hodge, who spent four years as the AD at West, plans to continue serving as the school's minority services coordinator.