Sidelines: Christie steps down as Woodmore basketball coach

4/21/2005

After winning 71 percent of the games and leading Woodmore basketball to its most successful season since 1982, Don Christie has stepped down as the head basketball coach.

Christie submitted his resignation April 8 after seven years at the helm.

It s something I decided after last season, Christie said. I made the decision base, No. 1, on my family and, No. 2, on my career.

Christie s overall record at Woodmore was 109-45, and his teams posted an 83-19 mark in Suburban Lakes League games. His Wildcats won three league titles and took second four times.

This past season, Christie led the Wildcats to their first appearance in the regional tournament in 23 years. Woodmore lost in a regional semifinal and finished with a 21-3 record.

We had such a successful year and we had a great group of kids, too, he said. I always felt each year we were in position to win a championship.

Christie said he wants to spend more time with his family.

My wife works full-time as an attorney, Christie said. She s basically been a single, working parent for five months each basketball season. But she never once questioned my commitment to being a coach. I ve been blessed to have such a good wife. But I started seeing how much time I was missing seeing the kids grow up, and you start to question yourself.

Christie, who has been the dean of students at the Penta Career Center in Perrysburg for six years, said he also has an opportunity to assume a new administrative position there.

Christie had been living in Oak Harbor, working in Perrysburg and coaching in Elmore. He estimated that basketball takes at least a 10-month commitment each year.

That s what you have to do to run a successful program, he said.

Christie played point guard for his father, Dave, at Oak Harbor, and along with brother Dan helped lead the Rockets to a state runner-up finish in 1983. He went on to play at Ohio University for two years, before transferring to Division II Concord College in West Virginia.

He coached one year at Lake, going 6-15, before getting the Woodmore job.

The part that I will miss will be the preparation and practice, he said. I love teaching kids and getting them ready to play.

He said the highlight of his coaching career was Woodmore s overtime win this year in the Division III district final over Western Reserve.

Christie wouldn t rule out coaching in the future, but said he will take at least two years off.

Woodmore s Tyler Rosenberger has signed a letter of intent to play at Ashland University.

Rosenberger finished second in school career scoring with 1,369 points. He is also among the top five in school history in rebounds, assists and steals.

Rosenberger averaged 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game this season. The 6-4 forward led the Wildcats to their first appearance in the regional tournament since 1982. He poured in 28 points in an overtime victory in the district final over Western Reserve.

Rosenberger was all-district first team and All-Ohio third team.

Danbury s Jake Fanning, who was All-Ohio first team in Division IV and the district co-player of the year, has signed a letter of intent to attend Hillsdale College.

Fanning received a full scholarship after making an early verbal commitment to Hillsdale in December.

Fanning started four years and amassed 1,889 points, 630 rebounds, 519 assists, and 307 steals. He helped lead Danbury to top-10 finishes in the state poll the past two seasons.

The 5-10 guard led Danbury to two Toledo Area Athletic Conference championships, three sectional titles, and one district crown.

During his senior season, Fanning led the Lakers to a 19-3 overall record and an unblemished 12-0 mark in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference. He averaged 25 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 4.0 steals this year. Fanning was a two-time TAAC player of the year.

He converted 580 free throws in his career, which ranks him third in Ohio high school history behind Cambridge s Geno Ford and Willard s Nick Dials.

Fanning has a 4.25 grade-point average and is ranked fourth in his class.

The Napoleon and Ottawa-Glandorf girls teams protected their home turf last weekend by winning their invitationals.

Napoleon posted 164 points to outdistance Bowling Green (67.5) and capture the Napoleon Wildcat Invitational. The Wildcats took first in the 400 and 800 relays. Sophomores Haley Baden and Jenna Lauf were members of both. Lauf also won the 100-meter hurdles.

Chelsea Gerken won the 800 and the long jump.

Ottawa-Glandorf won its Gold Medal Invitational handily, beating second-place Liberty-Benton by 40 points. The Titans swept all three relay events. Sara Morman won the 100 and 300 hurdle events.

Contact Mark Monroe at:mmonroe@theblade.com or 419-724-6110.