We have created this petition for support of Chris King, and the Lakeland Women's Basketball Team. 

Video links that further outline the situation are at the bottom of this overview. 

On December 5th the basketball community across Canada and around the world has been rocked by the news of Lakeland College firing Chris King.

17 years as the head coach of a program that was nothing, turned into everything by the honest, day to day hard work of King, and his players over the years.

There is a reason people stay in place for 17 years. A pillar of the community, often joked as Mayor King for the city of Lloydminster. The involvement to in grassroots programming, to high performance - Chris, as many of you know has brought incredible success to the college and reshaped the basketball and sport landscape in Lloyd and surrounding area.

A post secondary coach I spoke to this morning called Chris “the very best of us Coaches, from his level headed approach, to the integrity that he runs his program”. He is, and continues to be the standard that others aspire to be, and what is possible in a small college landscape when you do things with the athlete in mind first.

It should come as no surprise that the outpour of support and backing for Chris from entire community has been deafening. From current and past players, families, school alumni, and officials, to coaches and sport administrators around the world. People don’t get it.

How could this happen? How could a man invest 17 years of his life into a program and the people there, only to be betrayed by the very intuition he sought to serve.

The hypocrisy of the college and its leadership team is not only disgusting, but lacks any form of reality or protection of their employee. A man who has served nearly half of his life for one institution has been thrown out like a bag of trash. This should make any coach and administrator not only fear for their own positions, but wonder what do you have to do if being 2x Coach of Canada, too many time to count ACAC Coach of the year, National champion, loved by your players, and held in the highest regard by your peers simply isn’t enough.

That’s the problem. This witch hunt has nothing to do with how amazing Chris is, but everything to do with the twisted sense of power and control an institution wishes to hold.

Those signing the petition are showing support and seeking fair treatment of Chris King, current and past Lakeland Women's basketball team(s), staff and their families.

Those signing also support further inquiry into Chris King's wrongful termination, and the conduct displayed by Lakeland College Senior Leadership. 

Hear their voices.
Know the truth.

Members of the Rustlers Women’s Basketball team had asked to have the truth be told and recorded earlier this week.

Each athlete was given the opportunity to sit down and share their experiences over the past month, including their thoughts in the wake of Coach Chris King’s dismissal.

Lakeland College, you cannot silence these young women, and they must be heard.

Each clip gives a complete insight into the events that have unfolded, and highlights the negligence displayed by Lakeland College, both in the handling of this situation, and the lack of care for their student-athletes and staff.

The Lakeland Rustlers Women’s Basketball Team are suffering at the hands of the institution that should be protecting them.

no king.
no ring.

Video Below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDdt8mQRIOD/

Rustlers Alumni Father - Chris Speaks Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbsQANGh1xo

Shaun Newman Podcast with Rustlers Women's Basketball Assistant Coaches:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oky_67Lz3M

Shaun Newman Podcast with Rustlers Women's Basketball Athletes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk2nf9vtosc