LOGAN, W.Va. — Veteran Logan boys basketball coach Mark Hatcher officially turned in his resignation on Thursday, ending a 15-year tenure with the Wildcats.
Hatcher, who recently accepted a new everyday job back in the winter, opted to step down after time constraints and travel have him going anywhere from Texas to Arizona.
“I’ve always been really close to my players and around them all the time. This job was making that hard to do,” Hatcher said. “I care too much about Logan basketball – they need someone who can be there all of the time.
“It was a tough decision for me and the kids could see that this past year,” he continued. “A couple of times I had to meet them at the game last year and didn’t ride the bus – I had never done that before. It was tough on me and tough on them.”
Hatcher finishes his career with a 236-138 overall record, capturing state championships in 2005 (Class AA) and 2010 (Class AAA).
“That first title was just unbelievable,” Hatcher said. “I just wanted to make Logan proud and I wanted to put up a state championship as a coach. We had our all-state players sitting on the bench for most of that state tournament with foul trouble. But just the way those games went, the way the crowds were with the whole community behind us – that was a fantastic and incredible moment I’ll never forget.
“Then in 2010, being the frontrunner with the best player in the state and defending that all year long,” Hatcher said. “There were a lot of tough times with that team, but seeing the way they came together and played unselfishly, that was a pretty great experience.”
As Hatcher moves on, the process begins to find his replacement – whomever gets the job will certainly have big shoes to fill.
“There are some guys who have coached with me in the past who are interested,” Hatcher said. “I don’t know who the frontrunner would be, but my job is just to make that transition for them a smooth transition. Above everything else, Logan basketball is a part of my life and my family’s life.
“In 2005 I got to coach my cousin, in 2007 I got to coach my brother. My two oldest daughters got to cheer for me,” he continued. “It has truly been an amazing 15 years for me and something I’ll never forget. I’m emotional about it because I love Logan basketball and I always will.”
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