Illinois softball coach suspended for social media post

An Illinois high school varsity softball coach has been suspended and may face termination for a social media post criticizing his school.

Darrell Henze, head softball coach of Quincy High School in Illinois, was suspended last week without pay and may be terminated — a decision that falls to the Quincy School Board during its February meeting.

The suspension stems from a post he shared on X, formerly Twitter, detailing his frustration with the school for not installing new lights on the softball and baseball fields.

A recent story from Muddy River Sports detailed the suspension and Henze’s reaction to the news. Below is an excerpt from the Muddy River Sports story.

The move came one day after Henze posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, a reaction to learning the lights on both the QHS baseball and softball fields were being taken down immediately and would be replaced in the coming months.

According to Henze, a plan was made last September to replace the lights if they were deemed unsafe by playing standards and health life safety bonds were being used to purchase and install new lights. Neither the baseball field nor the softball field is expected to have lights for the spring season.

QHS athletic director Kristina Klingele said the athletic department is working on a solution so all baseball and softball varsity and junior varsity teams will not have any games impacted by the lighting situation.

Henze wrote on X: “Due to lack of foresight, deception, and improper planning, QHS Softball and Baseball will be without lights this season with no real plan as to when lights will be reinstalled.”

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Henze was asked by school administrators to delete the post and he did not.

To read the full story from Muddy River Sports, click here.