s Deterding to step down

Wellsville High’s Kermit Deterding, among the state’s winningest boys basketball coaches, has announced his resignation.

Deterding compiled a 431-236 record in 29 years coaching high school basketball at WHS. He also had a 60-7 record in three years coaching junior high basketball, two seasons at Jefferson West and one at Wellsville.

“It’s a getting-old factor,” the 54-year-old Deterding said of his decision to step down. “A lot of factors kept weighing on me and I started to think it was time.”

Deterding, who guided the Eagles to state titles in 1987 and ’94, said the decision wasn’t easy.

“After 33 years, it’s got to be tough,” said Deterding, the Journal-World’s area coach of the year in 2001 after coaching WHS to a fourth-place finish at the Class 3A state tournament.

Deterding, whose teams advanced to the state tournament 11 times, informed his players of his decision on Thursday. Wellsville finished 8-15 in 2001-02, falling to Central Heights in a 3A sub-state final.

“The kids and some of the parents have been unbelievable to work with,” he said. “That’s the true measure of it.”

Deterding will remain at Wellsville High as a physical education teacher.