Brad Boyd said he felt the Southside Sharks' boys basketball program was headed in the right direction, despite their season ending with a 28-point second-round playoff loss to Ouachita Parish.
Not only did the Sharks enjoy a 25-win season, but they qualified for the playoffs for a second consecutive year and won the school's first postseason game against Ponchatoula.
Considering the players returning next year, Boyd was eagerly looking forward to the possibilities of next season.
However, whatever the future holds for the Sharks' program, Boyd won't be a part of it.
Boyd was informed that he wouldn't return as the head basketball coach during a meeting with Southside principal Catherine Cassidy, Sharks athletic director Dwayne Searle and Lafayette Parish athletic director Nic Jeffers on Friday at the school.
Boyd said that Cassidy cited "unsportsmanlike conduct" as the reason he was removed as head coach.
"I received two technical fouls all year, both coming in the last game of the year (against Ouachita)," Boyd said.
Cassidy again declined to comment when contacted Tuesday, and Jeffers stated, "I can't comment on personnel matters."
Other than the two technical fouls, Boyd cited another incident that happened Jan. 21 against Sulphur that resulted in both programs being placed on probation for one year by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.
"Both schools involved got put on the same probation," Boyd said. "Their kid was fouling on purpose with under a minute to go in the game, down 12 points. He (the player) was called for a flagrant foul or an intentional foul. I then told the coach to get him out of the game, and that's not cool what he is doing. A fight could have broken out."
Boyd said he and the Sulphur coach exchanged "a few choice words" and the officials called the game. He said after the LHSAA reviewed the incident, both schools were placed on probation.
"According to her (Cassidy), yes," Boyd said about whether the incident against Sulphur factored into the decision to remove him as coach. "In my opinion, the unsportsmanlike conduct was not enough to get rid of me as the coach."
In three years with Boyd at the helm and playing a varsity schedule, the Sharks were 52-44 and went to the playoffs twice. This past season, their best under Boyd, the Sharks went 25-11 overall and 5-2 in District 3-5A.
Boyd said he was surprised by the decision, especially considering he received an email from Searle the day before at 9:28 a.m. Thursday that read, "Just wanted to congratulate you on a great season. I appreciate the hard work you put into the program. I know we will continue to have great success."
The next day, Boyd was out as coach.
Boyd said since news broke of his dismissal as the Sharks' coach, he has received two head coaching offers from 4A schools within the Acadiana area.
"To me, that means I must have been doing something right," Boyd said.
Before his time with the Sharks, Boyd previously served as the boys basketball coach at Opelousas High, girls basketball coach at Ascension Episcopal and was a graduate assistant coach at UL under Robert Lee.
Boyd expects to decide on his future destination "by next week."
"I'm still here working at Southside as a teacher," Boyd said. "I'll work as a teacher, until I decide to take on another head coaching role at another school."
Boyd said the most disappointing thing about the decision is what it means for his returning players — most notably the seven seniors.
"I hurt for the kids," Boyd said. "We started with these kids, now going into their senior year and they have to deal with another coach coming in. (It's) just not fair to them."
Boyd was unsure if he could appeal Cassidy's decision or not, but he said it's best to "move on."
"Seems to me the love, trust and chemistry at the school has been broken," Boyd said.