Ed Madec resigns 8 games into season as Buchanan High School boys basketball coach
Ed Madec has stepped down as the Buchanan High boys basketball coach, athletic director James Gambrell said.
Gambrell said Madec notified him Friday morning and he accepted the resignation.
“He had some stuff that came up in his personal life,” Gambrell said Monday. “He’s been talking to us for a couple of weeks. Some stuff happened in his family and very concerned. He just finally came in and said, ‘I need to spend more time with my family and some stuff has come up that I need to be there as a son and as a father.’
“When coaches say that, unfortunately you don’t want to hear that, he’s done such a fantastic job with our kids on the court. We’re going to support Ed and his personal decision. We have to respect that.”
Kelly Avants, Clovis Unified’s chief communications officer, said, “Coach Madec’s resignation was voluntary and a decision he made for himself. We are moving forward from this point and making plans to support our students and the team with a new coaching option. Given that this was Coach Madec’s personal choice, his motivations are his own and confidential.”
A text to Madec was not returned.
Removed at Fresno City College
Madec had been away from the gym for the past two seasons after he was removed as the Fresno City College men’s basketball coach and placed on paid administrative leave in February 2020 with one regular-season game remaining because of alleged violations over snacks and team barbecues.
Madec and his legal team appealed his leave at an administrative hearing and a judge dismissed the accusations against the coach in late December 2021.
Buchanan hired Madec in June and called it a “landmark hire.”
Madec made his debut as the Buchanan coach with a 78-68 victory over Immanuel. The Bears are 6-2 after beating Davis 60-57 at the Everett Alvarez Eagle Classic in Salinas on Dec. 3.
Buchanan is looking to hire a coach on an interim basis and hopes to have it filled by this week.
“We’re very thankful for the time he gave us,” Gambrell said. “He’s done a great job on the basketball court.”
This story was originally published December 12, 2022 at 1:06 PM.
