HASTING, Mich. — Complaints from parents set off a pair of investigations that put the Barry County undersheriff on leave and will cost the Hastings High School varsity baseball coach his job. The two titles were held by the same man, Jason Sixberry.
In a press release Thursday, Hastings Schools Athletic Director Mike Goggins announced Sixberry will not be offered a new contract to return as the Saxons' head coach. Goggins says concerns about Sixberry were brought up to the district on May 29, which opened an investigation that day.
A letter from Interim Superintendent Tim Berlin was sent home to parents saying an unnamed coach had been suspended, pending an investigation. FOX 17 confirmed that coach is Sixberry.
Over the phone Thursday, Berlin elaborated on the letter by telling FOX 17 "[Sixberry] was doing things maybe a coach shouldn't be doing. Lines could've been blurred a little bit."
The impact to the team lasted just a few days. Sixberry was suspended for three practices and a postseason game the Saxons lost to end their season.
Now Sixberry will not return next year to a team he's coached for 15 years. The district's investigation turned up no criminal activity, but AD Goggins says, "We did find a preponderance of evidence of situations we believe to be inappropriate in a healthy coach/player relationship."
One of Sixberry's now former players, Mason Tossava, said the news of Sixberry's investigation came as a surprise.
“Sixberry, you know, has been with us for a long time," said Tossava, a rising sophomore and varsity baseball player. "You wouldn’t really expect something like this, so it’s kind of a shock from all of us.”
The district says Sixberry used social media and texts to communicate with players on matters not related to the baseball program, often using inappropriate language. Sixberry also allegedly offered gift cards to players for reasons the district could not establish. The school system noted that giving players gift cards would be a violation of MHSAA rules.
Hastings Schools Investigation Into Sixberry by WXMI on Scribd
Tossava said he and other teammates had a Snapchat streak with Sixberry of more than 500 days, meaning they messaged online every day for more than a year.
That streak came to an end once Sixberry's suspension was announced.
“Mom has been asking me, like, has he been weird to me? But no, not at all," Tossava said.
Meanwhile, Sixberry is on paid administrative leave from his position as Barry County undersheriff. Sheriff Dar Leaf confirmed Sixberry is not working during an investigation by Michigan State Police.
Neither Sheriff Leaf nor state police would confirm why Sixberry is under investigation by their respective departments.
According to Goggins, the district's new Athletic Director Mike Mohn will handle the search for the next varsity baseball coach.
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