Daphne High School head volleyball coach Casey Craig has resigned from her position following being placed on leave in late September.

The Baldwin County Board of Education formally accepted her resignation during its regular meeting on Oct. 23. Craig was placed on administrative leave Sept. 29 after a video circulated on social media showing her appearing to make an obscene gesture toward the Bayside Academy crowd during a Sept. 25 varsity match.

The board said no additional information or statement from her had been released, citing personnel matters. In a statement to Gulf Coast Media, Craig spoke publicly for the first time since being placed on leave. In it, she said she regrets her actions.

"The specifics of the situation at the game are irrelevant at this point," Craig said. "It was an emotional moment in the middle of a very competitive match, and I reacted in a way that I regret. It was never my intention to set a poor example for my players or represent Daphne volleyball in a negative light. That moment doesn't reflect who I am as a coach, educator, or person."

She added that she hopes the community considers her full body of work at Daphne, not just the isolated incident.

"I've always believed in accountability, and I've taken full responsibility for my actions," she said. "At the same time, I hope people can see the full context of the situation at the game as well as of my years of dedication to the program, school and community and the positive impact I've worked to have on students and players. I'm human — I made a mistake in a heated situation — and I've learned from it."

In her statements to GCM, Craig said her time at Daphne has been an important part of her coaching career and expressed gratitude for her players and the school.

"Coaching and teaching at Daphne has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career," Craig said. "I have and always will care deeply about my players. I am incredibly proud of the program we built together — not just the wins and losses, but the growth, teamwork and resilience our athletes showed every day."

Craig added that while her tenure has ended sooner than expected, she hopes her players continue to compete hard and support one another.

"I am choosing to move forward with gratitude for the lasting relationships I have formed and lessons I have learned in my time at Daphne," she said. "I hope they also can see through this that we are all humans and capable of making mistakes. Those mistakes do not define us. It is the response to those mistakes that define us as who we are."

Craig said she plans to take time away from coaching to reflect and spend time with family. She had served as Daphne's head volleyball coach since 2021. Plans for naming her replacement have not been announced.