The all-time winningest coach in Beechwood boys basketball program history is retiring.
Head coach Erik Goetz announced on Monday that he is retiring from coaching after 10 seasons with the team. When one hears the name Beechwood, many often think football with what they’ve been able to do over the years.
But Goetz helped build a culture and tradition in the program over the last decade. Goetz successfully carried out his vision to completely rebuild and rejuvenate the program. Goetz says that coaching basketball can be both exhilarating and rewarding in many ways, but the time and stress involved can also take their toll and now is the right time to step away, the school released in a statement on Monday.
“I have been extremely honored and privileged to serve as coach at Beechwood for the last ten seasons. My father and his family attended the school and it is with great pride that I have been able to lead the program,” Goetz said. “I step away extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve.”
In his tenure, Goetz won 160 games, the program’s first ever All “A” Ninth region championship, landed a spot in the Ninth Region Tournament in three of five seasons,
made an unforgettable run to the 9th Region Championship game in 2019 (on the heels of a school-record 29 victories that season) and achieved success at the younger, more
developmental levels of the program. Beechwood has captured back-to-back junior varsity
region championships, middle school championships and created a youth summer camp that averages 120 children every summer.
Before making the move to Beechwood, Goetz coached at Holy Cross and won 129 games in Covington. He was a standout player for the Indians as well, fifth all-time in KHSAA history with 315 assists and helped lead the 1991 team to Rupp Arena for the Sweet 16.
As a coach, having a lifelong impact on players is one of the key components to being a coach. Goetz certainly did that.
“He made Beechwood basketball one of the best experiences of my life. I’m so unbelievably blessed to have had him as a coach and I will forever be grateful for everything he’s done for me,” Mitchell Schilling said, a 2019 graduate of the program. “Coach Goetz built the program and the culture of Beechwood basketball from the ground up. Coach’s dedication and love for the game are unmatched.”
Goetz engineered the Tigers run to the Ninth Region All “A” championship in 2018, Scotty Draud leading the team as a freshman with 20.6 points per game. Draud eventually left as the Ninth Region’s all-time leading scorer at the time.
“Under his leadership, he took the program to unprecedented new heights,”
Draud said. “Mr. Goetz was a great coach, teacher, mentor and friend, and hopefully the
tradition that he and his teams built can continue.”
Schilling and Draud are just two of many who Goetz helped shape through basketball.
“Most importantly, I will cherish forever the memories built with the young men we have had in our program. The kids have been amazing to work with and have helped build so many wonderful relationships that I will carry on forever”, Goetz said.
The Beechwood administration cited they’ll be looking for Goetz’s successor immediately.