The contents of a coaches group chat has reportedly gotten over half of a staff put on administrative leave

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District is opening its season Friday with a football staff that looks nothing like the one it had two weeks ago.

Seven of the eleven coaches at Nathan Hale HS (WI) have resigned in the middle of a district personnel investigation, leaving four coaches and a new interim head coach to get the team to kickoff against Kaukauna, per WISN12 News. Cody Schumitsch, the program's former defensive coordinator, has stepped in as interim head coach.

On August 6, principal Matthew Lesar told parents that coaches had been placed on administrative leave tied to a confidential personnel investigation. By August 10, a follow-up letter told families those coaches had "decided not to return."

The district has confirmed an open investigation into what it called possible criminal conduct or misconduct, and said it does not involve students on the team. According to WISN, the investigation centers on messages in a coach group chat that was shared with school administrators. FOX6 reported the same trigger, a group chat involving current and former coaches. West Allis Police have confirmed they are not involved.

What was actually said in that thread has not been made public. The district denied an open records request, citing the ongoing investigation, so anyone out there drawing conclusions right now is working off the outline of the story rather than the substance of it.

A coaching staff text thread feels private. It is not, especially once someone forwards it to administration. Whatever prompted this investigation, a staff message thread is now district evidence, and nothing typed into a group chat is ever truly off the record.

The players had a week and a half to adjust before their opener. Senior quarterback Coleton Cohen is set to start Friday against Kaukauna. His father, Shane Cohen, told reporters the turnover has pulled the group together. "I do think this has brought the kids together," Cohen said. "You have to be excited about what's moving forward." He called the situation disappointing, "but you know, we have to move on from it and avoid the distractions."

Schumitsch now inherits four coaches and a roster trying to salvage a normal Friday night out of an abnormal two weeks. He was the program's defensive coordinator before the shakeup, so the players in his room at least know the voice running the show.

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