In our first of the Unredacted series that looked at High School Coaching Issues in Part 1: Lakeville South. We had additional information come to light shortly after posting so we thought an update was in order that also covers a situation that occurred at Lakeville North.
The Lead
The dust hasn’t even settled on the 2025-26 winter season, and Lakeville South is already facing a massive identity crisis. On the heels of a hard-fought run that ended in the Section 1AAAA championship, Head Coach Blake Nicols has officially resigned. But if you think this was a standard “parting of ways,” the scene at the March 24th school board meeting suggests a much darker reality.
Blake Nicols
According to Strib Varsity, Nicols was placed on leave from his teaching position, and district documents reveal his probationary teaching contract was not renewed. The “why” remains hidden behind a wall of administrative silence.
However, the community isn’t staying quiet. On March 24th, approximately 30 parents and students packed the school board meeting to stand behind Nicols. The reality? He resigned at the district’s explicit request. It’s a move that feels less like a professional transition and more like a forced exit.
Buck Kochevar
To understand what’s happening at South, you have to look across town at Lakeville North. Back in October, Buck Kochevar was nearly pushed out as the girls’ hockey coach. In a WCCO Radio interview, Kochevar pulled back the curtain: a handful of parents complained to Superintendent Michael Baumann about playing time and communication.
The district’s “investigation” led to an ultimatum: resign or be placed on administrative leave. It took 19 players standing before the school board on October 14th to physically save their coach’s job.
The Common Theme: Spine-Free Leadership
The pattern in Lakeville is impossible to ignore, and frankly, it’s pathetic. We are watching a masterclass in how a small, loud minority of parents can hijack an entire program because an administration is too “kowtowed” to stand up to them. Instead of protecting the culture, these “leaders” find it easier to throw a coach under the bus if it means they can keep their own image polished.
Let’s get one thing straight: the vast majority of parents aren’t the problem. But we’ve entered an era where a “small majority”—the vocal, entitled few—are wrecking the experience for everyone else. Whether it’s Lakeville or any other district across the state, we’re seeing a total evaporation of administrative spine the second a “problem child” parent starts chirping about playing time or coaching styles.
Based on the tips and sources hitting our inbox, this isn’t just a Lakeville localized issue; it’s a full-blown epidemic in Minnesota high school sports. When the people in charge are more afraid of a nasty email than they are of losing a quality coach, the kids are the ones who ultimately pay the price.
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