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Longtime Wheelersburg boys basketball coach Tom Barrick has retired. Barrick pictured with 2012-2013 team.

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Cody Leist

PDT Sports Writer

The Daily Times learned Thursday night that Wheelersburg boys basketball coach Tom Barrick has submitted his letter of resignation after 19 seasons with the Pirate basketball program.

In a release sent to The Daily Times, Barrick gave his gratitude for the opportunity.

“I would like to thank the Board of Education, school personnel and the entire Wheelersburg community for giving me and my family the opportunity to serve in this capacity,” Barrick said in the statement. “It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve as your basketball coach for the past 19 years.”

Barrick was hired as the Wheelersburg basketball coach prior to the 1994-1995 season. During his tenure, he took the Pirates to 11 SOC II championships, 14 sectional titles, eight district crowns and three state Final Four appearances with the 1994-1995 team finishing as state runner-up. He earned his 400th career victory Jan. 15 when Wheelersburg defeated Northwest 55-21 and finished with a 339-113 record at the school, a .750 winning percentage. He was named conference coach of the year seven times as well as four times by the Daily Times and twice by members of the Associated Press in the Southeast District.

The Pirates finished the 2012-2013 season with a record of 9-14 and were eliminated in the Division III Southeast Sectional Tournament by eventual state semifinalist Ironton 49-39 at Jackson High School. It was the closest margin the Fighting Tigers would encounter prior to their loss to eventual state champion Ottawa-Glandorf.

Wheelersburg superintendent Mark Knapp expressed his appreciation of Barrick and his work.

“Coach Barrick’s dedication and commitment to the sport and his student-athletes is to be commended,” Knapp said in the release. “We appreciate his time and talent in directing a highly successful basketball program.”

Not only was Barrick the head coach of the Pirate basketball program, he was also the president of the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association. Barrick will stay with the school as a health and physical education teacher.

A search committee led by athletic director Chris Porter will start to look for Barrick’s replacement.

Cody Leist can be reached at 353-3101, ext. 294, or cleist@civitasmedia.com. For breaking sports news, follow Cody on Twitter @CodyLeist.