YMCA Under Fire as Parents Rally for Coach

By ALEXANDRIA BORDAS | Reporter

Palisadian Sara Marti took her son to his YMCA soccer game on Wednesday, Oct. 21, but the coach never showed up. In his absence, Marti and two dads had to take over and coach the team themselves.
“It was chaos,” Marti said in an email to the Palisadian-Post
Later, Marti learned that popular coach Rashad Rhodes was no longer employed by the Palisades-Malibu YMCA on Via de la Paz because his position had been eliminated due to budget constraints.
The news came as a shock to the parents and children on the team.
It was even more shocking to Rhodes.
During the height of sports season, Rhodes was told to pack his things because his position as sports coordinator was being eliminated.
Since then, Rhodes has obtained legal representation and an outpouring of support from Palisadians that has left many questioning the core values of the 160-year-old organization.
Rhodes had been working for the YMCA for four years when he was approached by Beth MacAller, the YMCA’s new Executive Director, on Oct. 21.
According to Rhodes’ lawyer Mychal Wilson, a well-known whistleblower attorney in Santa Monica and a Palisades resident, Rhodes had never spoken to MacAller before learning his job was being eliminated.
After Rhodes was told to leave the building, the YMCA called 911 stating there was a “disgruntled employee” in the office.
Wilson said Rhodes packed his belongings and waited outside on the public sidewalk for authorities to arrive.
“MacAller said she was feel ing unsafe standing outside with Rashad and asked someone to call the cops,” Wilson told the Palisadian-Post. “But nowhere was there anything saying he couldn’t be on YMCA property. Is it a crime because he’s black? Because I don’t see any other reason.”
Rhodes is African-American.
Both the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Palisades Patrol responded to the call.
“There was nothing unusual about the situation and nothing stands out that I can recall about that call. He (Rhodes) appeared to be calm,” said an LAPD officer who responded to the call.
The Post reviewed an audio recording of the exchange between MacAller and Rhodes that was submitted anonymously. The recording reveals that immediately following his dismissal, Rhodes was asked to pack his things and hand over his key. Forty-one seconds later, when Rhodes hadn’t produced the key quickly enough, the YMCA called authorities.
Throughout the recording Rhodes sounded calm but shocked his position was being eliminated.
MacAller called authorities a second time on Saturday, Oct. 24, when Rhodes attended his son’s sports game with his wife and children at Simon Meadow.
Wilson claimed when MacAller confronted Rhodes on the field, she told him he must leave due to a legal issue.
“She (MacAller) was targeting Rashad and planned this whole event on the field in front of his family and other parents,” Wilson told the Post. “What is the legal reason he is not allowed?”
Kris Nakamura, YMCA Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing, submitted a letter to the Post written by Mark Dengler, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles.
In the letter, Dengler stated MacAller perceived Rhodes’ actions on the sidelines on Oct. 24 to, “Negatively impact the enjoyment of those in attendance.”
Palisadians have since responded to these incidents with support for Rhodes and outrage at the YMCA.
“When Rashad brought his son to play his entire family was forced to leave. Our hearts are breaking for him and what he was put through in front of the children,” said Marti, who has been involved with the YMCA for over one year. “Coaching is Rashad’s passion, he loves it, and it just radiates out of him.”
Marti and 51 other Palisadian families have signed a letter to the YMCA detailing their feelings about how MacAller handled the situation and are asking that Rhodes’ son, JoJo, be allowed to play sports with the YMCA through the end of the school year at no cost.
“While we do our best to ensure our business operations do not negatively influence our Members’ experience, recently, it did,” the YMCA’s letter to the Post stated.
Dengler noted Rhodes was not “terminated” and he was informed that additional opportunities to work within the YMCA were available to him. No positions have been offered to Rhodes.
“After careful review, we agree the situation could and should have been handled with much greater care. Living our cause by exemplifying our principles of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility is fundamental to fulfilling our mission,” Dengler’s letter stated.
Attorney Wilson, who is representing Rhodes pro bono, said his client has no intention of going back to the YMCA because too much damage has been done.