Charges filed in Kettering against Fairborn HS football coach on leave

Cory Hardin

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Cory Hardin

Charges were filed Tuesday afternoon in Kettering Municipal Court against Cory D. Hardin, head football coach and school counselor at Fairborn High School who was placed on paid administrative leave Monday “pending an investigation,” according to the school district.

Hardin is charged with domestic violence and child endangering, both misdemeanors, Kettering police Lt. Lee Sanders said. Hardin is held on $10,000 bond in the Montgomery County Jail, where he has been held since Monday afternoon, jail records show.

According to a Kettering police incident report, an officer responded to an Ackerman Boulevard home due to concerns of possible child abuse.

Fairborn City Schools officials said Monday they will not discuss the details of an ongoing investigation. But they did say Hardin was placed on leave at 12:30 p.m. Monday, and “the scope of the investigation does not involve Mr. Hardin’s interaction with students.”

Hardin was named Fairborn’s head coach early in 2021. Previous coach Randy Kerns led the Skyhawks to a 6-1 record in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, then took a job out of state.

Fairborn’s football team lost this year’s season-opener to Tecumseh, 41-14, then had to cancel their Week 2 game against Vandalia-Butler due to COVID-19 protocols. On Friday they are scheduled to host Xenia.

Hardin is a 2005 Fairborn graduate. Despite losing his right hand in a 2005 car accident, he went on to play football at the College of Mount Saint Joseph. For the past several years, he worked in multiple roles at Chaminade-Julienne High School, including assistant football coach.