NEWARK ― Kevin Eckenrode hadn’t coached basketball in several seasons, and he has found the perfect fit to scratch his itch.
After leading Johnstown’s boys to back-to-back district championships in 2020 and 2021, the latter resulting in a Division III regional runner-up finish, Eckenrode was approved earlier this week as the new head girls basketball coach at Newark.
An obvious connection is already there. His daughter Leah will be a junior for the Wildcats, and younger daughter Quinn will be an eighth grader in the program after an impressive seventh-grade year. Newark also returns All-Ohio seniors Calli Geller and Emma Quackenbush from a Division I district championship team.
Eckenrode replaces the veteran Jack Purtell, who left to take the head coaching job with the Watkins Memorial girls.
“It’s a huge opportunity,” Eckenrode said. “Jack just won a district and they have a very good thing going. When he left, it gave me the opportunity to get back in, and I’m very excited to get back in. You’re always excited to coach your kids, but I look forward to coaching all the girls. Not only are they talented, but they’re good girls. The last two seasons, I’ve gotten to know them quite a bit.”
Athletic director Jeff Quackenbush knew Eckenrode from his assistant coaching days at Columbus DeSales under Blair Albright, when the Stallions went to three state tournaments from 2005 to 2009.
“That was early in my [coaching] career, and between that and watching tapes of him at Johnstown, his passion for coaching and the game was very apparent,” Quackenbush said. “Not just the kids on the floor had passion, but the kids on the bench. He’s super passionate and it sells the game to them. Our kids are very excited to play for him.”
Eckenrode also served for one season as a girls basketball assistant at Johnstown.
“I’ve had 19 years coaching boys, and I really enjoyed my time at Johnstown. It will always be special,” he said. “Newark really supports its basketball programs. It’s a good situation, knowing what it’s like coming in.”
He said the skilled Wildcats will look to push it in transition and will be difficult to defend.
“We also want to play tough, hard-nosed, man-to-man defense and be very physical, similar to the way the Newark boys play it,” Eckenrode added.
Since he’s taken the helm, the Wildcats have hit the ground running, literally.
“We’ve had good talks and they’ve been working out really hard,” said Eckenrode, who has also retained assistant coaches Bailey Williams and Liz Stine.
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Eckenrode brings experience, passion to Newark girls basketball job
Reporting by Dave Weidig, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
