We, the undersigned members of the Topeka West High School community, are writing to express our deep concern and disappointment about the recent decision to let go Coach Brent Hackett as head coach of the varsity squad for girls’ basketball. Coach Hackett has shown a tremendous amount of commitment to the girls in a very short period. He has outstanding credentials as a former point guard for TCU and currently a personal trainer. He can provide knowledge of basketball and proper agility training. In addition, he is respectful to the girls and has built a bond with many of them.

The ladies were given limited opportunities during the summer break to build a relationship, work out, and participate in summer tournaments as their former coach was let go at the end of the 2023 season. They were not given the same opportunities as other schools as they had no coach until middle or late summer. 

This decision was made without careful consideration of the girls. It is unfortunate that the school has chosen to let go of Coach Hackett for reasons that are incomprehensible to us. We believe this decision was not in the best interest of the students or the school community. The girls in the program are the true victims in this situation. They have less than 2 weeks before practice starts and about a month before their first game. Topeka West girls’ basketball has struggled for years and when administration is making late decisions like they have, it shows that they do not care about the students or the program.