Sidney High School has begun the search for a new head boys basketball coach after Andy Slaughter announced his resignation following two seasons as leader of the Yellow Jacket program.
Slaughter was coming off an excellent season that saw his Jackets win 17 games, then win twice in tournament play against strong opponents in Tecumseh and Xenia. The season ended with a sectional final loss to Centerville, which went on to play in the regional finals.
Slaughter’s final team finished with a 17-8 record, giving him a two-year mark of 26-22 at Sidney after a 9-14 mark in his first season. In the four years prior to his arrival, Sidney totaled just 16 victories.
“Right now, I’m just planning on relaxing a little bit and spending some time with my wife and kids,” Slaughter said Wednesday. “Being a head coach, you miss a lot of things, and not just during basketball season. Right now, I’m coaching one of my son’s baseball teams, and helping coach my other son’s baseball team. My daughter has soccer, basketball, track… Last summer, I don’t know how many games I missed because of camps or shootouts. So it’s going to be nice to have some time to spend with the family.”
Athletic Director Mitch Hoying said he appreciated Slaughter’s work.
“We’re very grateful for Andy’s effort to improve the overall program, which is in better shape than when Andy took over,” Hoying said. “He did a great job with the youth program, getting the 5-star kids in the Dayton Metro, where they play a better level of competition. I know the parents were quite happy with it.”
Slaughter said he will remain at his teaching position at the school. “I still have my teaching job at Sidney and that’s what I plan on doing,” he said. “If something changes, it changes. But I plan to finish out the year strong.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I’m done coaching,” he added. “I wouldn’t rule it out. But I started taking classes to advance my degree, and with that, and all the activities my kids are in, it’s really hard to do that stuff.
“I had a great time in my two years as the coach, and I feel like I’m leaving the program in a much better place than when I got here,” he continued. “And the youth program is much better now. Those kids are set up to compete at every level.”
Hoying has already begun the process of finding a replacement. “Sooner is better than later, but we want to be thorough and find the right candidate. We want someone with experience, who is strong in player development, and who believes in the importance of a youth program.”
