Leon Schools releases complaints, investigation that led to firing of Leon High Volleyball Coach
LCS documents say Angie Strickland twice confronted players whose fathers had died
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - Leon County Schools released Tuesday a copy of its investigation into longtime Leon High School Volleyball coach Angie Strickland.
The 17-page report - which includes a copy of the district’s “standards of ethical conduct” - outlines complaints from two different students whose fathers had passed away and were later admonished by Coach Strickland.
Student 1 said this happened one month after her father died, during the 2017-2018 season, according to the report.
“Student 1 stated that the remarks made by Coach Strickland in front of her teammates were traumatic and still affect her now,” the report said.
When asked about the allegation, the report says, “Coach Strickland did not recall having an obituary or using those strategies with the players.”
Another student who played for the Leon Volleyball team in 2021 shared a similar scenario.
“The players were practicing for a playoff game when Coach Strickland stopped the drill and asked Student 3 if she seriously thought her dad would be proud of the way she was playing right now,” the report said. “Her father was deceased.”
She too said the incident has caused “lasting effects,” according to the report.
In response to that complaint, the report says, “Coach Strickland does not recall using those strategies with the players.”
In each instance, the report says, assistant coaches witnessed the incidents and corroborated the student accounts of what happened. A teammate also witnessed the incident that happened during the 2017-2018 season.
A formal complaint was filed on July 26, 2023. Strickland was put on leave pending the outcome of the investigation on July 27, 2023, and was ultimately fired August 4, 2023.
When asked for a response to the allegations included in the report, Strickland’s attorney told WCTV they do not have a comment and “are exploring all possible options.” The Leon County Schools’ spokesperson said the district has no additional comment.
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