Praying WA Coach Resigns After 1st Game Back This Season

His story attracted people from coast to coast, but now he is leaving WA state.

Coach Joe Kennedy steps down at Bremerton HS

Kennedy, who lost his job in 2015 after a long-running dispute with the school district over leading players in prayer on the field after games, was finally reinstated after his case went all the way to the Supreme Court. He was paid a settlement of $1,775,000 to cover attorney's fees from the case, the money coming from the District.

This image is of Kennedy by the Supreme Court as they neared reaching a decision on his case.

However, Kennedy posted a message on his website indicating after his team's first game on September 1st. against Mount Douglas Secondary School, from Victoria, B.C. he was stepping down. He'd rejoined the team on August 16th as they opened workouts, and they won their opener 27-12.

Kennedy's statement said part of the reason he is leaving is to go to Florida to help care for family members. Part of his statement read as follows:

“I believe I can best continue to advocate for constitutional freedom and religious liberty by working from outside the school system so that is what I will do. I will continue to work to help people understand and embrace the historic ruling at the heart of our case. As a result of our case, we all have more freedom, not less. That should be celebrated and not disrespected,” 

A book about his saga will be out in October, and sources say a movie about his life and this situation is said to be in pre-production.

No indications were given if he intends to pursue any coaching jobs in Florida.