March 12, 2019 at 4:08 p.m.
Patch resigns
Family cited as reason for stepping down
Patch resigns
Copyright 2019, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved.
Brian Patch’s towering frame has been a staple at Fort Site Fieldhouse for the better part of two decades.
Next season will be the first without him since 2002.
Patch, the all-time leader in coaching victories at Fort Recovery High School, resigned as coach of the girls basketball team in a statement released this morning by interim FRHS athletics director Barb Sautbine.
“It is with deep sorrow and regret I announce the resignation of Brian Patch,” the statement said. “He has stated it is for family reasons.”
Patch, who announced his resignation at the program’s awards banquet Monday night, could not be reached for comment.
The 1995 Jay County High School graduate took over the FRHS boys program in the 2003-04 season. It was a rough first year for Patch and the Indians, as they went 6-15. Fort Recovery was 14-9 with a sectional title the following year, and went 8-14 during the 2005-06 season.
The Indian boys didn’t have another losing season with Patch at the helm. He guided them to three straight sectional titles from 2008 through 2010, including Midwest Athletic Conference, sectional and district titles in 2010. Fort Recovery won MAC and sectional titles two years later, too.
In 11 seasons leading the FRHS boys he was 159-76 (67.7 winning percentage) before jumping over to the girls program ahead of the 2014-15 season.
Patch and the Tribe girls had a 17-7 record in their first year together and won 19 games and a sectional title three years in a row from 2016 to 2018.
On Jan. 6, 2018, Patch passed Diane McClung, who coached from 1979 to 1992 and guided the Indian girls to consecutive state championships in 1990 and ’91, as the career leader in basketball coaching victories.
“Just being mentioned with her and coach Al Souder (179 wins from 1979 to 1989) as far as wins go, I think it means a lot,” Patch said at the time.
In 16 seasons total at Fort Recovery, he amassed a 244-110 (68.9 percent) record with seven sectional titles, two MAC championships and one district trophy.
“He’s a great guy,” Sautbine said this morning, noting Patch will continue his duties as middle school social studies teacher. “He really is. Sorry to see him go, but I understand.”
Fort Recovery Local Schools superintendent Justin Firks said this morning the job opening will be posted today.
“Obviously we’d like to have it filled before summer activities,” Sautbine said, adding there’s no definite timeline for how quickly administration hopes to fill the position. “We have some teaching positions open. I don’t know if we can replace (him) that way.”
All Rights Reserved.
Brian Patch’s towering frame has been a staple at Fort Site Fieldhouse for the better part of two decades.
Next season will be the first without him since 2002.
Patch, the all-time leader in coaching victories at Fort Recovery High School, resigned as coach of the girls basketball team in a statement released this morning by interim FRHS athletics director Barb Sautbine.
“It is with deep sorrow and regret I announce the resignation of Brian Patch,” the statement said. “He has stated it is for family reasons.”
Patch, who announced his resignation at the program’s awards banquet Monday night, could not be reached for comment.
The 1995 Jay County High School graduate took over the FRHS boys program in the 2003-04 season. It was a rough first year for Patch and the Indians, as they went 6-15. Fort Recovery was 14-9 with a sectional title the following year, and went 8-14 during the 2005-06 season.
The Indian boys didn’t have another losing season with Patch at the helm. He guided them to three straight sectional titles from 2008 through 2010, including Midwest Athletic Conference, sectional and district titles in 2010. Fort Recovery won MAC and sectional titles two years later, too.
In 11 seasons leading the FRHS boys he was 159-76 (67.7 winning percentage) before jumping over to the girls program ahead of the 2014-15 season.
Patch and the Tribe girls had a 17-7 record in their first year together and won 19 games and a sectional title three years in a row from 2016 to 2018.
On Jan. 6, 2018, Patch passed Diane McClung, who coached from 1979 to 1992 and guided the Indian girls to consecutive state championships in 1990 and ’91, as the career leader in basketball coaching victories.
“Just being mentioned with her and coach Al Souder (179 wins from 1979 to 1989) as far as wins go, I think it means a lot,” Patch said at the time.
In 16 seasons total at Fort Recovery, he amassed a 244-110 (68.9 percent) record with seven sectional titles, two MAC championships and one district trophy.
“He’s a great guy,” Sautbine said this morning, noting Patch will continue his duties as middle school social studies teacher. “He really is. Sorry to see him go, but I understand.”
Fort Recovery Local Schools superintendent Justin Firks said this morning the job opening will be posted today.
“Obviously we’d like to have it filled before summer activities,” Sautbine said, adding there’s no definite timeline for how quickly administration hopes to fill the position. “We have some teaching positions open. I don’t know if we can replace (him) that way.”
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