LOUDONVILLE – For Tyler Bates, a whirlwind two months filled with memorable big steps and breakthroughs came to a screeching halt with a new landing spot.
Bates, who coached the Loudonville girls basketball team to the Division IV state semifinals in Dayton on March 18, announced four days later that he was stepping down as LHS athletic director, dean of students and girls basketball coach.
On Thursday, Strasburg High School Athletic Director Gary Spinell announced in a press release that Bates was approved to take over the Tigers' girls hoops program at a special meeting of the school's Board of Education.
“Coach Bates really impressed us with his focus on the basketball program from the youth level to the high school level,” Spinell said in the release. “His wealth of experience and success is clearly evident, but what really stood out to him during the interview process was his dedication to our student-athletes.
“During the interview process, it became clear that Tyler truly promotes the importance of education-based athletics.”
The news comes just two months after Bates raised $200.th He earned his career win as a Redbird by defeating Mogador in the district championship.
The 11th-year coach ended his tenure in Loudonville with the most basketball wins in Ashland County history (202-69).
His team's 26-3 record this year marked the most on-court wins in a single season in county history, and he was named the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association's Division IV Coach of the Year.
Bates was part of a rebuilding project when he took over at Loudonville as a fresh out of college in 2013, but he will inherit a Strasburg program full of potential.
Under fourth-year head coach Troy McClellan, who resigned in April, the Tigers won three straight Inter-Valley Conference North Division titles for the first time in program history.
Coach Bates said the team will return its entire starting lineup, including three All-Ohioans, after the 2023-24 season, which finished with a 19-6 overall record (12-0 IVC North).
“Driving through Strasburg reminded me of my first drive through Loudonville 10 years ago,” Bates told the Ashland Source Thursday night.
“The size of the school, the work ethic of the kids and the pride in the community all remind me of Loudonville and Orrville and Smithville, where I grew up.”
“I know this team is a hard-working group of multi-sport kids, and they've had a lot of success in all the girls sports there,” he added of the new team. Ta. “To do that, we need kids who are proud of their school and want to go to the gym and compete.”
Bates said the ranking immediately caught his eye as he watched film of the team during the season. The two programs could potentially meet on the Division IV tournament course.
He said it didn't take long to iron things out after he first spoke with Spinell, adding that he was excited to have the opportunity to take over the program that McClellan has led.
McClellan also coached men's basketball at Strasburg University from 1996 to 2007, going 231-198 and reaching the state Final Four in 2001. McClellan spent four years with the Dover girls program before returning to coach the Tiger girls. was leading.
With a career coaching record of 362 wins and 262 losses, he is a Strasburg legend as a member of the school's Hall of Fame and will continue to lead the school's men's golf program.
McClellan was named IVC North Coach of the Year in each of the past three seasons, and his team achieved a program-record 20 total wins in 2021-22.
Last season, the Tigers were paced by two-time All-Ohio and IVC North Player of the Year Riley Thomas, who will be a senior next year, when Bates is on pace to become the program's all-time leading scorer. he said.
If not for the overtime loss to Mansfield Senior, Strasburg would have won 11 straight games in the regular season. In the postseason, for the second straight year, the Tigers lost in the regional semifinals to Division IV and IVC South Division powerhouse Berlin Highlands.
Over the past three seasons combined, Strasburg is 58-16 overall and 33-2 against IVC North. Bates said the school has a multipurpose gymnasium that was built just a year ago and is attached to two hardwood gymnasiums.
He still lives in Loudonville with his wife, Whitney, and their two young children, about an hour's drive to Strasburg, just north of Dover. Beyond coaching, Bates said his goal is to eventually get a job in the building in some capacity.
He also said he was looking forward to getting acquainted with his new team.
“Every coach is different, so it's going to be a learning period for us. I'm getting used to the players and they're getting used to me,” Bates said. “At Loudonville, we had great kids who worked very hard. They were tough and showed up knowing it was time to get to work.
“We're going to grow together. I think that's kind of the exciting part of doing something new here.”
There's a chance Strasburg could play against Loudonville in the postseason. New redistricting for basketball has not yet been announced, but Bates said the Tigers will definitely play in Division VII, while Loudonville and SHS rival Highland are both on the borderline of either Division VI or Division VII. He said that there is.
The coach said he looks forward to continuing to build on the program's traditions.
Strasburg is known throughout Ohio for its softball program, with its nine state titles tied with Warren Champion and Akron Springfield for the most in the sport, while the Tigers reached the Final Four in women's basketball. have never done.
“I've never been one to just walk into the gym one day (with the players) and declare our goals and all that,” Bates said. “But we know we want to be competitive and we want to fulfill our potential. Whatever it is, that should be decided.
“Considering the type of athletes we traditionally have (in the district), it could end up being pretty special.”