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MORRISTOWN - One of the premiere girls' high school basketball programs in eastern Ohio is in the market for a new head coach.
After five years, Lou "Scooter" Tolzda recently stepped down as the Jets head coach.
"Rather than leave room for speculation, I want to be upfront about my decision to step down as a coach," Tolzda said. "I chose not to alter how I coach or how I've coached the last five seasons because that's always been my coaching style or philosophy, and because there are different perspectives regarding the direction of the girls basketball program, I thought it was best to allow the program to move in a different direction.
"Right now I remain proud to serve as Dean of Students and a teacher at the school and my focus right now is supporting our students and staff."
During his five seasons at Union Local, Tolzda compiled a superb 108-22 won-loss record, including a 20-5 mark last winter that ended with a buzzer-beating loss to West Muskingum, 30-28, in the Division V Eastern District Finals at Cambridge High School.
"Nobody knows how tough of a season last year was," Tolzda stressed. "We lost a player for the season to a knee injury, another was playing under extreme family circumstances, and we lost at the buzzer on a three-pointer. After all of that, we were still only one shot from another regional appearance. I'm proud of all that."
Over the past 10 seasons at Meadowbrook (boys) and Union Local, Tolzda's teams averaged 22 wins a year. That includes a pair of Final Four appearances (Division II, 2017-18 at Meadowbrook and Division III, 2022 at Union Local), seven regional trips and multiple OVAC, Buckeye 8 and ECOL championships. He was selected as Coach of the Year in some capacity during nine of those 10 years and has been a three-time finalist for the coveted OVAC Bill Van Horne Coach of the Year.
Over his four-plus decades of coaching, Tolzda has racked up 583 wins.
He started coaching as the Shadyside girls coach for one year before serving as the head coach of the Beallsville boys and River boys. He then returned to Beallsville before moving on to Monroe Central and then Meadowbrook.
He compiled a 112-22 (.836 winning percentage) with the Colts, winning four district titles,
"I'm leaving my options open. If something would come up in some capacity, I still feel like I've got some good years in me. If something arises where a school needs a head coach, or even an assistant coach, I still want to coach."
If Tolzda is not in the coaching fraternity this upcoming season, it will be the first time in 47 years that he won't be on a bench courtside.
"Coach Tolzda's five-year tenure with our girls basketball program was marked by significant achievements, including an impressive run to the Ohio state tournament," Union Local Superintendent of Schools Zac Shutler said in a text message. "After careful reflection this summer, Coach Tolzda chose to resign from his position, feeling it was the right time to step away."
Union Local Director of Athletics Drew Greenwood said the position would be posted Monday for prospective applicants.