Camden football coach reinstated, but he wasn’t in his usual spot for Friday’s game
Camden High School football coach Brian Rimpf was able to be at his team’s game Friday night after all, but he wasn’t on the sidelines.
This came four days after the Kershaw County School district announced Rimpf had been placed on paid leave and wouldn’t coach Friday.
Rimpf coached the Bulldogs from on top of the press box Friday against Lakewood. Camden won the game 27-6. A source close to the program told The State that Rimpf was allowed to be at the game and coach — he just couldn’t be with the team on the sidelines.
“Something I never want to do again,” Rimpf said of his spot on top of the press box.
The district didn’t give a specific reason why Rimpf wouldn’t be coaching but did indicate that “student safety was never a concern.” The district also has not responded to multiple requests by The State seeking additional information on the matter.
Assistant coach Daniel Sisk would have been acting head coach for the Bulldogs. Some Camden coaches wore #FreeRimpf T-Shirts at the game Friday.
Rimpf, who played in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens, is in his fourth season with the Bulldogs. He led Camden to the Class 3A championship game last season and was 2019 Class 3A Upper State Coach of the Year.
Camden is off to a 3-1 start this season and ranked No. 4 in the latest Class 3A poll released Tuesday. The Bulldogs were originally supposed to play at St. John’s (DC) this weekend but the game got canceled when Region 5-3A moved its schedule up.
This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 10:55 PM.
