Larry Peppers, a Hall of Fame coach who started the program 31 years ago at Hinckley-Big Rock, learned Monday he will be replaced as girls basketball coach next year.
Peppers said he was called into the office of H-BR interim superintendent Kevin Cronin and told of the decision.
"He told me they were gonna get a different coach," said Peppers. "I told him I wasn't going to quit."
Peppers contends the dismissal stems from a letter high school principal Chuck Lawson received in late February from the parent of a player in the program who "didn't care for my style."
The coach was accused of using improper language and the parent said he had been "negative, verbally abusive and uses fear tactics to intimidate his players."
Peppers said the parent didn't understand some of his efforts at comic relief in dealing with his players and argued that he's always had their best interests at heart.
Lawson was contacted late Tuesday afternoon and he referred all questions concerning the matter to Cronin. Efforts to reach Cronin were unsuccessful.
"I'm pretty disappointed. I felt it was totally unfair, but that's just the way society is these days," said Peppers, who contends proper administrative procedures were not followed.
"The letter was sent in February but I wasn't told about it until April 11th by my athletic director [Bill Sambrookes]," said Peppers, noting that players and parents are made aware of the process for handling complaints with a coach before each season.
"If you have a complaint you meet with the athletic director and coach and if it's not resolved, then you meet with the AD and then principal," he said. "Finally it can be taken to the superintendent and board."
When he learned of the original complaint, Peppers said he wrote a response on April 12. When he was dismissed Monday, he gave a copy of it and the original complaint to his players.
"I wanted them to know the truth," he said.
"I assumed [the dismissal] was going to happen. I'm sorry it happened and I'm angry the way it happened. I had three or four girls come up and hug me Monday [after learning of his dismissal]. That's the reason why I coach.
"Everybody knew what I was. I just wanted everybody to work hard, no matter if they were the worst or best player. I never cut anybody, I didn't have a cut policy."
The veteran coach retired as social studies teacher and athletic director last June and returned to coach girls hoops. He was not retained as boys or girls soccer coach.
"I could tell there were issues then," he said.
His basketball team went 28-3 this season, losing in the sectional title game for the second straight year.
He feels he may have legal recourse to retain the post but doesn't envision pursuing it.
"I wish the girls the best," he said.
His ouster leaves him 19 wins short of the 600 mark. The career record for the 2003 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee stands at 581-218.
In a statement released late Tuesday, Sambrookes praised Peppers.
"Larry was dedicated to the kids and the district for over 30 years," the athletic director said. "He rewarded those who worked hard, and he did what he felt was best for his teams. As a result, his teams were always competitive, respected, and successful.
"When you work in any position for that long, there are going to be those people who support you and your methods and those people who don't.
"Without going into details, I expressed that I thought there were other options available to resolve the situation, but the decision was made to remove him from the position."
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