Liberty tabs Sparrow to take over reins of boys basketball program – Muddy River Sports

LIBERTY, Ill. — Dan Sparrow’s role within the Liberty school district is expanding, but his additional responsibilities shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

Coaching basketball is what he was born to do.

Sparrow was named the next Liberty boys basketball coach by the Liberty Board of Education during Wednesday’s monthly meeting. Sparrow, who is Liberty’s athletic director and dean of students, replaces Greg Altmix, who resigned earlier this month to become the coach at Quincy Notre Dame.

Sparrow spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach within the Liberty program.

Sparrow joined the Liberty administrative team in 2022 after spending 10 years as the principal at Quincy Junior High School. During that stretch, he served as an assistant basketball coach at Liberty in 2015-16 when the Eagles finished third at the Class 1A state tournament.

A 1989 graduate of Quincy High School and 1993 graduate of Millikin University, Sparrow began his coaching career as an assistant for both the QHS football and boys basketball programs. He left in 1998 to become the head boys basketball coach at Jacksonville, where he spent eight seasons with a Class AA regional title in 2000.

The Crimsons have not won a regional title since.

Sparrow spent five seasons coaching at Bartonville Limestone, bringing the Rockets to play in the QHS Thanksgiving Tournament in 2008 and 2009.

Sparrow takes over a Liberty squad that went 10-18 last season but returns a talented group of sophomores featuring Vince Cramsey and Sparrow’s son, Reed, as well as Sparrow’s older son, senior Jack Sparrow.

“We are excited to have Dan in this role as he continues to support and build relationships with the young men in the Liberty basketball program,” Liberty Superintendent Kelle Bunch said in a press release. “It is always a win when the talent and leadership is right in your own backyard.”