Huntington Park Coach Joe Reed Fired After 35 Years All Because of a Parent Complaint Over Referee Fees He Paid Himself

All this after dedicating a chunk of his life to Program's service!

November 7, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on November 7, 2026

After more than three decades of serving and leading Huntington Park High School’s basketball program, coach Joe Reed has been sacked.

This decision has triggered the whole Hungugton Park community, who cannot even imagine the Basketball Team without Reed.

Reed, who has been the head coach since 1991, had been on paid administrative leave for a year and recently returned to teaching

When he returned to the Public School for coaching, the school apparently gave his spot to a walk-in coach instead.

According to the Huntington Park staff directory, Marvin Bragg is the new basketball head coach, assisted by Kenneth Lightfoot.

Reed says it all began with a simple parent complaint over referee fees for a tournament. A year ago.

Other parents had actually offered to cover the costs, something Reed had been doing himself for years.

In addition to paying referees, Joe also provided his coaching stipend to lower-level coaches, as LAUSD only provides two stipends for basketball.

For a man like Reed, who has essentially been coaching for free, the firing has not only affected Reed but also those referees and other coaches.

One of the Softball Coaches also raised his concern due to LAUSD’s lack of priority in Athletics, which has indirectly led to the coach’s sacking. He wrote,

I was a walk-on assistant JV softball coach at Eagle Rock HS from 1996 – 02 and I did not get paid a dime in 6 years. I also coached boys baseball and basketball at various Catholic high schools in L.A. As a former LAUSD teacher, retired in 2026, I support the coach whom I’ve never met. Athletics has been low priority in LAUSD for years. Even head coaches I know have said the same thing. Some coaches go over and above to make the student-athletes better young adults before they face the real world. An ongoing problem is parents want to coach the team from the stands or from someone who got to them about their son’s or daughter’s coach. Sadly some administrators will side with the “new age” agenda that their child should be starting at whatever position yet can’t commit to coming to practice on a daily basis. When I played high school sports, it was an expectation to do your school work and show up to practice for your team. Here’s another example: Before the 2026-26 school year started, I inquired about applying to an LAUSD high school for the varsity baseball coaching position. The Athletic Director and I were classmates in high school. When he told me that the coaching duties included lining the home field for games, I said, “Doesn’t maintenance do that?” He said. “Not here.” I said, “Not interested.”

Supports Pour For the Coach, Who Dedicated Most of His Life to Huntington Park

Reed has a great history of kindness and going above and beyond for his players at Huntington Park.

One time, he took the team to a tournament in San Francisco and treated the boys to a Golden State Warriors game, which is undoubtedly a great experience that the students will never forget. Yet, he faced backlash from a parent.

One parent complained he didn’t do the same for the JV team back home. Despite his years of service and dedication to the community, Reed was placed on administrative leave due to a minor confrontation and was replaced without his prior knowledge.

Support for Reed has poured in from the community. Kenneth Henson wrote, “Coach Reed had been at Huntington Park forever. I personally didn’t know him, but I always heard very good things about him as a coach and a man. It’s a shame that we are losing great coaches because of administrators bowing to parents’ wishes.”

Randolph Simpson added, “He has been a friend, a confidant, and a champion for inner-city youth for decades. It’s just not him that took a loss; it was the whole community. The principal should be ashamed for his decision.”

Other voices weighed in, too. Jeff Taylor said, “I need Coach Reed and he is a stand-up guy. Sad situation.” Steve Gewecke added, “The kids know what a great job you have done. Keep your head up, Coach Reed.”

Al Cuevas also commented, “Joe is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever known in coaching & ran the cleanest program around. Can’t say that about a lot of coaches.”

Jack Tarango III added, “He made sure his teams had everything they could possibly have…he is a great individual…sad to hear.”

Individuals have also stated that the false narratives surrounding the Coaches and the nature of unresponsive school administrations must stop.

For Huntington Park High School and the wider community, the sacking of Joe Reed is not just about a coaching change; it’s a huge blow.

A blow to the basketball program, a mentor, and a great figure who coached different generations of players.

In an era where administrators often bow to parental pressure, the loss of a coach like Reed is felt far beyond the court.

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Anish Koirala has loved sports since he was a kid. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and that passion stayed with him over the years. Today, Anish works as a writer and editor, sharing his knowledge and love for the game through articles and stories. He uses his playing experience to make his writing clear, thoughtful, and fun to read.

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