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Rebuilding Mitchell taps seasoned coach

By IZZY GOULD
Published April 26, 2006

NEW PORT RICHEY - Larry Holden was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005 after molding two losing programs into powers during a 24-year coaching career.

Those credentials were enough to land Holden Mitchell's boys basketball job, athletic director Ian Mooney announced Tuesday.

Holden replaces Andy Schmitz, who resigned March 9 after three seasons. Schmitz led a senior-laden Mustangs team to a 17-8 record last season.

Also considered were Ahmy Arca, Dustin Bengston, Chris Berry, Dillard Caldwell, Joe Dixon, Glen Hefferman, Andrew Maggio, Dustin Row and Jerry Woodka.

"Mitchell basketball lost several key players to graduation," Mooney said. "It's going to be a transitional year to bring along those younger kids. I think it's a great fit to bring Larry in with his fundamentals for the game."

With Holden, Mitchell gets a veteran coach with Midwestern roots. His first head coaching job was at Lake (Ohio) High in 1975 where he also was named athletic director.

Holden inherited a team that had won five games in two seasons. He left after four seasons with a 51-27 record.

Feeling he had taken Lake High as far as he could, Holden left in 1979 for a job at Beavercreek (Ohio) High where he coached 20 seasons. He retired in 1999 after a 25-1 season.

Holden was 376-156 in 24 seasons. He won seven Western Ohio League Championships, three district titles and reached two region finals.

"I felt it was time for me to get out of coaching," Holden said. "I had spent 24 years as a head coach. I wanted to devote more time to my family."

Holden spent a few years watching his youngest of three sons, Jamie, play college basketball in Indiana. Then he moved to Florida with his wife, Pat, and became a financial representative with AIG.

Holden plans to return to teaching, filling Mooney's criterion of having an on-campus coach.

After Holden retired in 1999 he continued to coach, providing help with camps and individual instruction.

"I still have the passion to coach," Holden said. "I enjoy working with young people very much, and I missed it. This looked like it was a good opportunity to get in and get back in it."

Holden is the second Hall of Fame coach in recent memory to give it a second go in Pasco County. The first was former Zephyrhills coach Gene Pieper, an inductee of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Pieper coached 27 seasons at Wausaukee (Wis.) High and won 457 games. He resigned in February after two seasons with the Bulldogs and an 8-43 record.

Mitchell believes Holden can be successful.

"Ian and I both felt the experience Larry brings is critical," Mitchell principal Ric Mellen said.

"He's been an administrator, athletic director and coach. A lot of our key athletes are graduating. He's going to be doing a lot of teaching."

Holden will start by talking with Schmitz about the state of Mitchell basketball. From there, he hopes to establish a summer program for the Mustangs.

"There's a couple of things you're proud of when you look back," Holden said. "We had 22 winning teams and only two losing teams. We were very consistent."

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[Last modified April 26, 2006, 01:22:18]