Sandusky basketball coach Colin Irish retires after seven winning seasons

SANDUSKY — Colin Irish and his wife, Paula, spent spring break in Panama City, Florida. It was there, during quiet evenings overlooking the ocean, that Irish ultimately decided he needed a break. Irish, who took over Sandusky's boys basketball program at a turbulent time and went on to provide thoughtful leadership and a winning culture, announced Tuesday that he is retiring from coaching after seven seasons leading the Blue Streaks. "We just chilled and looked at the ocean and relaxed for a week," he said about his trip to Florida two weeks ago. "We needed it." Irish spoke of needing a "reset" and admitted that COVID-19 played a part in his decision to step down. He contracted the virus early last season and missed several weeks in quarantine. His wife and two children also fought off the virus. "It messed with my mind a lot," he said. "I know it was time to hit reset. We've all lost loved ones over the past year. Maybe it did have a role to play." Irish, who broke the news to his players Tuesday afternoon, compiled a 125-41 record with the Streaks. His record included four conference tiles and two district championships. His teams advanced to the regional semifinals in 2015 and 2017. Irish turned 60 on March 3. Sandusky lost in a district semifinal to Tiffin Columbian that day, the final game in a draining season. "I'm very proud of everything we've done," he said. "I wished we could've won some regional games, but I can honestly say I feel we've maxed out every year. The kids should always want more, and they do want more." Irish will stay at SHS as an assistant principal and help in the coaching transition. He's making plans for the team's offseason and will remain on the job until July 1. "He created a culture of not only winning but how to go about life and what's important," said Sandusky athletic director Shawn Coakley. "Basketball is just a vehicle you use to convey life lessons." Coakley hired Irish in June 2014. He was the Streaks' seventh coach in a four-year span and brought much-needed stability to the program. He never had a losing season and in 2019-20, Sandusky won a school-record 23 games before losing to Toledo Rogers in a district final matchup between ranked teams. "We can guide all we want, but if the kids don't buy in we won't be successful," he said. "I've been fortunate to have a lot of kids who have bought in to the message of giving their all on the floor and being good in the community. That has led to the success." Irish thanked his assistant coaches — Dustin Nejedly, Brent Maillard, John Winborn and DeMar Moore — and said interacting with the staff is what he'll miss most in retirement. "It's the kids, it's the coaches, it's the administration," he said when asked what made him successful. "I'll miss the friendships with the coaching staff -- and the texts I get from kids who are now men and have families. And the success. "There was a buzz in town many years about how far we were going to go and that's fun." Irish said he first discussed his job status with his wife and two grown daughters — "I don't make any decision without speaking to the women in my life" — when the family gathered for a late Christmas celebration in January. His final call came several weeks later. "It was just time," he said. "I needed a breather." Irish was a star basketball player at Cathedral Latin High School in Cleveland. His team won a state championship in 1977, his sophomore season, and made it to the finals the next two years. The 6-foot-6 power forward went on to star at Bowling Green State University. Irish was a fifth-round draft choice by the NBA's Washington Bullets before playing professionally in Europe for 14 years. "Basketball is my vehicle," he said. "I saw things in the world that I never I dreamed I'd see because of basketball. I never dreamed I'd see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower. If it wasn't for basketball I would have never seen those places. "You can use a sport if you're fortunate enough, but at the end of the day nobody can take your education away from you." Irish was born in England. His father was from Trinidad and his mother was from Venezuela. They moved to Trinidad when Irish was 5, then landed in Cleveland when he was 9. "We had nothing," Irish said. "We had a sponsor family that allowed us to come here. We lived in the inner city of Cleveland; we didn't have much living in the Hough area. There were gun shots and all that stuff." The budding athlete grew up on soccer and cricket, but his life changed when he was introduced to basketball by the man next door who was charged with cleaning St. Agnes School at 79th and Carnegie. "I picked up a basketball because a guy who lived in our duplex, who was the maintenance guy, he wanted me to help him clean the school and he let me shoot around," Irish said. "He gave me like two bucks back then. That's when I started playing basketball. John Tipping was his name. Still remember that name to this day." Basketball took Irish a lot of places, and his sports journey stopped in Sandusky, where he enjoyed matching up against coaching legends such as Ontario's Joe Balogh and Norwalk's Steve Gray. Irish's Sandusky teams finished first or second in conference play in six of his seven seasons. "Once we got over that hump of beating Ontario in the district final the kids got a taste of success and they wanted that to keep going," Irish said. "I've met different people through basketball and would've never had an opportunity to sit and shoot the breeze with them if it wasn't for basketball." Irish said he'll still attend Sandusky games and might check out some games at BGSU, where he is No. 5 on the Falcons' all-time rebounding list and No. 8 in career scoring. "I've been blessed; I have a lovely family and a lovely wife," he said. "I'm blessed that I've landed in Sandusky. I enjoy working with the kids and the community. "I don't want to coach anywhere else." ----- Irish's record at Sandusky Season&emsp;&emsp;Conf&emsp;&emsp;All&emsp;&emsp;2014-15&emsp;&emsp;10-2&emsp;&emsp;21-5&emsp;&emsp;2015-16&emsp;&emsp;11-1&emsp;&emsp;19-42016-17&emsp;&emsp;11-1&emsp;&emsp;21-52017-18&emsp;&emsp;9-3&emsp;&emsp;17-92018-19&emsp;&emsp;8-2&emsp;&emsp;14-82019-20&emsp;&emsp;11-1&emsp;&emsp;23-22020-21&emsp;&emsp;6-5&emsp;&emsp;10-8Total&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;66-15&emsp;125-41