Chris Drenning, the Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School kids basketball train the previous 11 periods, is no more with the program after both Drenning and also the institution validated BG determined to open up the setting on Wednesday.
He led the Marauders to a document of 219-74.
“(Wednesday) night I was educated that the head kids basketball mentoring setting at Bishop Guilfoyle was mosting likely to be opened up,” Drenning stated. “I did not surrender or relinquish my setting as the head train. I was educated that the factor for this activity was due to a story that exists within some in the BG school/community that the kids basketball program wasn’t encouraging of multi-sport professional athletes in the program.
“It was shared to me that this story has actually outgrown control with time. This topic has actually been reviewed various times over the previous 18-24 months with me by our management. I’ve constantly prided myself on playing the employee that offer us the very best opportunity to win on any type of provided evening. I’m confident that our document would certainly show this reality. I think this ‘story’ is misdirected which we as a program attempted to manage it the proper method. Obviously others varied keeping that viewpoint.”
Bishop Guilfoyle principal Michael Cacciotti stated a conference was accepted Drenning on Wednesday and also the choice was made.
“It was a conference with Chris and also a conversation with Chris,” Cacciotti stated. “It simply seemed like it was time for us to open up the setting.”
The Marauders have actually won 11 state championship game given that 2017.
“We’re very happy to Coach Drenning for his years of commitment to the Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School, to the kids basketball program and also to all the professional athletes that bet him throughout the years,” Bishop Guilfoyle sports supervisor Joe Landolfi stated. “A choice was made to open up the head kids basketball train at the institution.”
The action came 4 days after the Marauders were gotten rid of from the PIAA playoffs.
“He’s been head of the program for the last 11 years, and also he’s done actually advantages for the program and also actually advantages for the institution,” Cacciotti stated. “The institution simply really felt that this was the moment to open up the setting.”
Drenning has the alternative to re-apply.
“It’s open, anyone can use,” Cacciotti stated.
Drenning validated Thursday evening that he does not intend to re-apply.
BG won the 2023 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference national championship over Central, however shed a heartbreaker to Penn Cambria in the District 6 Class 3A national championship prior to being up to Loyalsock Township, 59-57, in the preliminary of the PIAA playoffs last Saturday.
“I’m so lucky to have actually trained at BG and also to have the success we’ve delighted in over our 11 periods,” Drenning stated. “The excellent aspect of mentoring senior high school basketball is that you create long-lasting partnerships with most notably your gamers, however additionally your mentoring personnel, trainers from around the state and also the institution area at big. You or else could never ever have actually fulfilled most of these individuals if it wasn’t for mentoring. I’m lucky to have the partnerships we’ve established within our program, and also the amount of of them connected today.”
Drenning led the Marauders to the PIAA Class 2A national championship in 2019 with present Saint Francis basketball gamer Luke Ruggery leading the fee however shed, 54-52, to Math, Civics & Sciences.
He additionally directed them to the state semifinals in Class 3A in 2021 however shed an additional heartbreaker at the buzzer to Brookville, 46-44.
“Chris has rather the distinctions on the flooring,” stated Cacciotti, that has a kid, Michael, that was a student on this year’s Marauder basketball group. “He’s obtained the program in a great area. Quite truthfully, we’re thrilled concerning the program and also its future. We assume the program’s future is brilliant. We are thrilled for the future.”
Senior Patrick Haigh ended up being the institution’s all-time leader in racking up for senior high school kids basketball this year and also completed his occupation with 1,744 factors, covering Ruggery’s document. Haigh, his student bro Jude and also their sibling Teresa, that won a PIAA Class 1A ladies champion at Bishop Guilfoyle in 2021, retweeted a tweet Thursday supporting Drenning from Patrick Haigh’s previous colleague at Bishop Guilfoyle, Cameron Khoza, that is presently playing university basketball at Scranton.
“Drenning has actually been a remarkable train and also papa number for me therefore most of his previous gamers, and also I’m depressing to see him go,” Patrick Haigh stated. “The quantity of success he’s had is unbelievable with all the playoff wins and also 20-win periods, and also he made it look very easy sometimes.”
No various other mentoring placements were opened up by Bishop Guilfoyle past the kids basketball program.
“All placements on the (university) kids basketball group will certainly be opened up,” Cacciotti stated. “Just the JV and also university placements (have actually been opened up). The jr high train, Rob Okonak, will certainly continue to be in his setting.”
Drenning was helped by John Craig, Tom Goss and also Mike Crownover this period. Craig has actually been with Drenning as an aide for the previous 11 periods at Bishop Guilfoyle and also has actually trained with Drenning general for the previous 17 years.
Craig was important of BG’s choice.
“He didn’t obtain a reasonable shake in all,” Craig stated. “It has actually been a lengthy period, a long period, with a broken team of people. It began with a team of moms and dads, which’s the method it went. It’s an unusual point to state after the period we had, since I don’t assume any person would certainly think that it would certainly go in this way, however it was jaw-dropping and also magnificent for me. Chris is a lot a lot more committed to his craft than what any person would certainly think, and also I’m at a loss for words.”
The employing procedure to locate Bishop Guilfoyle’s following train has actually currently begun.
“We intend on opening up the setting quickly and also accumulating applications in the following week or more,” Cacciotti stated. “We actually would love to have a brand-new head train in position by the center throughout of April.”
When asked if Bishop Guilfoyle’s efficiency on the court contributed or if there were any type of off-the-court consider opening up the setting, Cacciotti duplicated his appreciation for Drenning.
“Coach Drenning has actually constantly benefited our program and also for our institution,” Cacciotti stated.
Drenning worried that he’ll prize the memories he made at Bishop Guilfoyle.
“I’m really pleased with our program, individuals and also gamers that’ve remained in it, and also just how they’ve represented themselves and also BG over the last 11 years,” Drenning stated. “A document of 219 victories and also 74 losses, 5 District 6 titles, and also 4 LHAC champions, in addition to looks in a PIAA state title video game in 2019, a PIAA semifinal video game in 2021, and also a PIAA quarterfinal video game in 2022 leaves space for great deals of warm memories. I’ve been honored with not just those experiences however lots of others and also I will certainly constantly be happy to those that assisted make them feasible.”
