Players on the Charlotte Boys Varsity Basketball Team are demanding answers after their coach Stephen Ernst resigned on Monday.
"We had a team meeting today, and we just wanted to talk about what we need to do going forward," said Collin Garn who plays on the team. "We just kind of came together and realized how wrong this was."
That's why they decided to sit in the main office, hoping to speak with the superintendent and other administrators.
"What they're doing to coach is not fair to us," said Garn. "Not fair to the community."
A community that voiced its opinion at the school board meeting Monday night, praising Ernst who was in his second season as head coach.
"He's regenerated not just the basketball community, but the sports community here in general," said Chris Greatehouse, whose son plays on the team. "If we really do lose him over this, it's going to be a shame."
Ernst has picked up six technical fouls in the last 30 games, and the school board wanted him to sign an agreement that he wouldn't get any more as a condition of employment. The school board declined to comment about the coach at the meeting.
School administrators are meeting today to discuss what's next for the basketball program and the coach, but players on the boys basketball team say they hope the school will make the right decision.
"Coach Ernst meant everything to the program," said Garn with the team standing behind him. "Everything to his students."
He says the team still isn't sure if they're going to play without Coach Ernst on the sideline.
"We know he's got our backs still," said Garn. "We know he's gonna be a life long friend however this goes down."
The next home game is against Pennfield on Friday at 7.
