OBSERVER File Photo Dunkirk Lady Marauders varsity basketball coach Darnell Baldwin talks to a player. Baldwin, the team’s coach last season, will not be returning next season.

Darnell Baldwin is no longer the girls basketball coach at Dunkirk High School.

“It hurt,” said Baldwin in an interview Friday. “It was shocking … sickening … just hurtful.”

Baldwin said he was notified of his exit by Dunkirk Athletic Director Mike Sarratori on a phone call on Wednesday evening. Baldwin said the call lasted just 24 seconds, in which Sarratori told Baldwin, “I keep my ears and eyes open,” before notifying him of his dismissal.

Baldwin attended the Dunkirk Board of Education meeting on Thursday night in search of answers. The experience led Baldwin to believe that Sarratori was the one solely behind the decision.

“I know it didn’t come from the board,” said Baldwin. “Most of the board members didn’t even know. It’s not like they voted on it or anything. … It came from one guy.”

After the season concluded, Baldwin said he had a meeting with Sarratori to speak about the direction of the program moving forward. Baldwin said he and Sarratori had a difference of opinion on what the goal of the players on his team should be. Baldwin wanted his players to focus on the sport that they feel gives them the best chance of earning a scholarship to play at the next level, while he said that Sarratori believed that the students should play more than just one sport.

“What it’s really about is them earning a free education to play at the next level,” said Baldwin. “I wanted them to focus on the sport that gave them the best chance to get them there.”

Still, after that meeting, Baldwin was under the impression that he would return as coach the following season. He began to prepare with that thought in mind — organizing an offseason program, along with camps and a summer league.

Dunkirk is poised to return all five starters — all sophomores — from a team that made it to the Section VI Class B1 championship at Buffalo State College on March 4. All of that was done despite only winning one game the season before, and beginning the 2017-18 season 1-6.

Despite the turnaround from last season, Baldwin was not satisfied with a sectional championship game appearance. He wanted his girls to reach their “fullest potential” — to play at the next level — and he felt many were starting to believe in their shot at playing college ball.

“The same girls who won one game in the year before, now they’re having 25 point games and playing for a class title,” said Baldwin. “They had the belief in themselves.”

Baldwin said his now-former team is upset with the decision, stating that multiple players and parents have contacted him directly and some players have reached out to him crying.

“Honestly, it hurt the most because of the relationships I built with the young ladies on the team,” said Baldwin.

Baldwin also added when speculating as to why he was relieved of his duties as coach that throughout the season, he had to dispel rumors from both a group of the parents and forces outside of the program that questioned his relationship with his players. Baldwin addressed those rumors by saying, “I felt that was very hurtful that they would even wonder.”

Baldwin described how he only spoke to his team through a group chat on Facebook, which parents of the players were welcomed to be a part of. He also said he shared screenshots of any contact he had with players outside of the group chat in any setting directly with their parents, in an effort to avoid any conflict. Baldwin said that when his team members were asked about their relationships with their coach, “my girls were upset they even had to explain it.”

Also a teacher at Dunkirk, Baldwin organized study sessions for his team and helped the team prepare for the SATs. Baldwin said he stressed the importance of education, in addition to athletic eligibility, and believes that he was doing everything in his power to get his players in position to earn a scholarship.

“I was really optimistic about getting letters of intent,” said Baldwin. “I’m sad I can’t make that come true.”

In Baldwin’s opinion, contrary to other programs at Dunkirk High School, he felt his program was not given the support from the athletic director’s office.

“Everything I wanted to do, the answer was always a no,” said Baldwin.

Contacted to respond to Baldwin’s comments, Sarratori offered the following:

“Dunkirk High appreciates the time Mr. Baldwin spent with our program. I wish him all the luck in the world and hope he does well in the future.”

Regardless of the reason for his dismissal, Baldwin remains hopeful that members of his team will make their dreams of playing at the next level come true.

“I just hope the next person has the same interests, helping them reach the next level,” Baldwin said.

Twitter: @bradencarmen