Chad Fields talks about it as though he were destined to rise to this role years ago.
The Dixie Heights Colonels named him the new head coach of the boys basketball program days ago. He’s been an assistant coach for many years under the three previous head coaches and also heads up the Social Studies Department at Dixie Heights High School.
“The reason I got into coaching in the first place is I love is because I love the learning process,” Fields said. “I am super, super passionate about teaching social studies, particularly US History. I kind of joke with my students on the first day of classes that rarely do they run into someone who is doing exactly what they wanted to do. But when I went to Xavier to get my teaching license, the dream was to teach US History and coach basketball at Dixie Heights High School. I joke with them. Don’t tell anybody I’m doing exactly what I wanted to do. I know it sounds hokey and I understand that. But that’s the case. It’s a great job.”
The 42-year-old 1998 Dixie Heights graduate takes over for Assistant Principal Roddy Stainforth. Fields said he and Stainforth, also a 1998 Dixie Heights alum, have known each other since the seventh grade. Stainforth led the program the previous five seasons.
“Being an administrator with four kids is tough,” Stainforth said. “It was time I put my family first.”
The Colonels are coming off a 22-7 campaign. Dixie Heights won the 34th District Tournament crown for the second year in a row and drove all the way to the 9th Region Title game where they lost 59-43 to eventual state semifinalist Covington Catholic. But Dixie Heights stayed in that game trailing just 40-36 with 4:35 left in the fourth quarter before CovCath pulled away.
“We were hanging in there, but not good enough,” Fields said. “None of us are interested in moral victories. They’re a good team and deserved to beat us.”
Dixie Heights finished 82-69 record with three 34th District Tournament championships during Stainforth’s tenure as head coach. Dixie Heights made the 9th Region Tournament all five seasons also finishing region runner-up to eventual state champion CovCath in 2018. The Colonels lost in the 9th Region semifinals, 71-54 to Conner in 2021 and lost in the 9th Region quarterfinals to Highlands in 2020 and Beechwood in 2019.
“He does a fantastic job with kids,” said Derek Bosse, Dixie Heights Director of Athletics. “He’s from the community. He knows our kids. He knows our program. People respect him. He has high expectations. Really from our standpoint, it was a no-brainer.”
Dixie Heights graduates eight seniors from this year’s team including their top two leading scorers in Kiernan Geraci and Billy Wogenstahl, who averaged 19.4 and 15.5 points per game. The other six are Jay Flynn, Ryan Dilts, Logan Landers, Nate Metzger, Pierce Rohlman and Brennan Staton.
The Colonels will build around sophomore Hudson Blank. He averaged 10.2 points and three rebounds per game and junior Jacob Bock
“Not much is going to be new,” Fields said. “We had some guys that know what things are supposed to look like.”
Fields started out as a freshman coach under former head coach Scott Draud. Dixie Heights last won the region in 2011 when Ken Chevalier was head coach.
“I have learned a bunch from Coach Chevalier and Coach Stainforth about doing what’s best for the players in the short term and in the long term,” Fields said. “If you what’s best in the short term, the long term takes care of itself and I have really, really learned a bunch from being good to our student-athletes. Just put in the time and they’ll repay the favor. We’ve got great fellows from great families. The Dixie community is just a fantastic place to be.”
Dixie Heights had the ability to mix things up offensively and defensively this past season. Fields said the Colonels will continue to emphasize unselfish play.
“I remember during the year one of the players saying, ‘We’re giving up good shots to take great shots.’ That’s still going to be the case,” Fields said. “But the fact of the matter is we’re going to look to some of these guys that have varsity experience. We’re going to ask them to do a little bit more in the beginning. We like to take what the defense gives us. But we may not have that luxury like we’ve had the past couple years.”
Dixie Heights has made it to the 9th Region Tournament 22 years in a row. The last time the Colonels did not make it that far came in 2000.
Fields acknowledged the challenges of keeping that streak alive. Lloyd Memorial graduates five seniors and St. Henry graduates just two.
“St. Henry found itself in a position we’re in with graduating a lot of seniors (from the 2020-2021 season),” Fields said. “It’s going to be difficult with as talented and well-coached as Lloyd (Memorial) is. St. Henry got that year of experience under their belts. (Crusader Head) Coach (Dave) Faust is one of the best around here so it’s going to be challenging along with Ludlow and Villa (Madonna). From a coach standpoint, that has to be goal number one. That’s find a way to give those teams a hard night.”
Dixie Heights has three region championships in school history in 2011, 1957 and 1947. The lone tournament win for the Colonels came in 1957 in a 58-55 win over Nicholas County.