Published: March 18, 2008 11:10 pm            

Time to say goodbye

After 38 years of coaching, Hall of Famer Mawbey calls it quits

Most coaches who resign after long, successful runs will tell you it isn’t one reason that prompts retirement — rather a variety of factors.

Basil Mawbey is no different.

In announcing his decision Tuesday night to leave Lewis Cass High School after eight seasons and varsity boys basketball coaching after 38 years, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame coach noted his desire for change.

That includes warm weather in winter months, more time with grand children and the ability to choose what he does with his free time.

“We always wanted to go to the Maui Invitational but never could because it’s played in November. Well, we have our tickets for next year,” Mawbey said with a smile.

“We’d also like to winter in Florida and see what that’s like and be able to spend more time with the kids and [10] grandchildren. The May to July summer commitment of coaching high school basketball takes up a lot of time as well.”

Mawbey has not shut the door on coaching again some day — only that it definitely will not happen next season.

“This is my retirement,” said Mawbey, 65. “But [my wife] Eileen said if I can’t bear it, I could get back in coaching. I’ll see how a year of ‘non-basketball’ goes. I love coaching and until I’m retired for a year, I won’t know how I’m going to miss it.”

Certainly Mawbey has put in his time. In addition to 38 years coaching at the varsity level, he spent four years with freshmen and three with junior varsity teams. Counting the years he played basketball, Mawbey figures he’s been involved in hoops for about 55 years.

Few in the history of Indiana basketball have been more successful. Mawbey amassed a 645-246 won-lost record (.723), winning a state championship at Connersville, taking Kokomo squads to two Final Fours (one to the state runner-up spot) and winning a Class 2A state championship at Cass. He’s produced 14 seasons with 20 or more wins, captured 24 sectional titles and exits the game with 32 straight winning seasons in his wake.

From an IHSAA historical standpoint, Mawbey stands seventh all-time in career victories, just ahead of coaching legends Marion Crawley and Bill Harrell.

Cass athletic director Greg Marschand was able to hire Mawbey in May 2000 after Mawbey ended his 14-year run at Kokomo when he retired as a teacher. Marschand will tell you he was in the right place at the right time.

“We were very fortunate to get him and keep him,” Marschand said. “No one knows the Xs and Os of the game better than Basil and I was always afraid he might move on to bigger and better things.

“Words can’t describe his impact on not only the program, but on the kids and this community. This is a basketball hotbed and we’ve had fans wait forever here for a state championship. Basil delivered that and the fans here will never forget it.”

Mawbey loves to compete and loves to win, but he’s proud of much more than his win total.

“I’m especially proud of the success my assistant coaches have had,” Mawbey said. “There may be 30 or 40 who have coached varsity basketball, and three [Charlie Hall, Kokomo; Wayne Allen, Castle; Al Rhodes, Warsaw] have won state championships.

“Also, seeing the kids who have played in the program and the success they’ve had in their lives is always so special.”

Mawbey will get to enjoy that aspect tonight, in fact. His Connersville team of 1983 is being honored tonight by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, 25 years after winning the state championship.

Not all of Mawbey’s memories are based around all-state players and state championships. In fact, few are.

“When I started coaching, all I wanted to do was win a sectional,” he said. “We had never won while I was in high school and I was involved in probably 19 or 20 [sectionals] before I won — in fact, I was 35 when I finally got one. It was 1978 at Angola and it was a thrill like I couldn’t believe.

“Being able to coach in the No. 1 basketball conference [North Central] in the state was a thrill and being able to coach at virtually every major venue in Indiana [Purdue, Notre Dame and Indiana stadiums as well as the Allen County Memorial Coliseum, Market Square Arena, the Hoosier Dome and Conseco Fieldhouse] was amazing. It was a thrill to coach my son Cary at Kokomo and have daughters who were cheerleaders.”

Any regrets or unfinished business?

“No,” Mawbey said, “and that’s a reason for retiring. There aren’t any goals I haven’t achieved, but I’d like to do every one of them again.

“I’d like to start tomorrow as the freshman coach at Caston and do it all again.”

        

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