Former ETSU softball player hires law firm over coaching concerns | WJHL

JOHNSON City, Tenn. (WJHL) — Just one of the former ETSU softball gamers who has accused the current coaching staff members of mistreating student-athletes has hired a regulation agency in an exertion to prompt modifications inside the university’s softball software.

In accordance to a launch, previous participant Saxon Radcliffe has turned to The Bosch Legislation Agency of Knoxville in hopes of resolving the issues.

Saxon is one particular of at least two previous ETSU gamers who have designed allegations on social media in opposition to ETSU’s athletics division and to start with-calendar year softball head coach Belinda Hendrix and her husband, assistant coach Jimmy Hendrix.

On Twitter, Saxon explained Belinda and Jimmy Hendrix mentally and verbally abused players and accused the athletics office of not trying to keep her grievances private, which led to her remaining retaliated from by the coaches. She also mentioned the athletics department experienced continually selected to disregard issues raised.

“Ms. Radcliffe was, until really a short while ago, a promising pupil-athlete on the softball crew at East Tennessee Point out University,” The Bosch Legislation Business claimed in a release. “After enduring recurring emotional and verbal abuse by her coaches, Ms. Radcliffe took the brave move of reporting this unacceptable perform to ideal members of the ETSU Athletics Division. Soon thereafter, she was dismissed from the team by her coaches in November 2021, with no explanation.”

In a assertion to Information Channel 11, ETSU Director of Athletics Scott Carter stated the legislation agency contacted the college several months back.

“We have been responding to requests for facts from the Bosch Law Company pertaining to allegations in opposition to the softball crew since the organization very first achieved out to us in December 2021,” Carter reported. “As we outlined in previously statements this week, an investigation into the concerns they have pointed out is underway.”

The legislation agency said it interviewed other former and current ETSU softball staff users, gamers and team members from the faculty where the recent ETSU coaches earlier coached, and “other well-informed people today within the regional softball group.”

“The psychological and verbal abuse uncovered is inappropriate by any specialist expectations,” the launch states. “Further, the instances of at least one of the ETSU softball coaches’ departure, quickly identified to quite a few, raises the problem of whether there was a absence of owing diligence in the conclusion to retain the services of these coaches by the Athletics Section at ETSU.”

Jimmy Hendrix resigned from his function at Chipola Higher education in March 2021 citing “personal causes,” according to News Channel 11’s sister station in Panama Town Beach, Florida. Belinda Hendrix still left Chipola in July of that 12 months soon after 18 seasons to head the ETSU software.

Carter mentioned the university sufficiently evaluated Jimmy Hendrix in advance of selecting him.

“I can verify that — as with any personnel we employ the service of — we extensively vetted Mr. Hendrix finishing both equally history checks and character and work references,” Carter stated.

The Bosch Legislation Firm stated it hopes to focus on the make any difference with ETSU reps “in an exertion to discover an suitable resolution in get to supply a harmless, educational and enriching setting for all associates of the ETSU’s softball community. It is Saxon’s hope that her and her family’s efforts will deliver a good modify to the toxic culture permeating the ETSU softball application.”

Information Channel 11 has reached out to Saxon pertaining to her problems but attempts to call her have been unsuccessful. In its launch, the regulation organization stated Saxon “will make no more comment at this time.”