| The Sun-Times Serving Williamsville and Sherman |
 | |  | |  | |  |
Urish resigns as girls basketball coach
By Byron Painter
Editor
Williamsville High School is looking for a new girls basketball coach after Illinois Basketball Coaches
Association Hall of Famer Dave Urish submitted his resignation.
Urish’s resignation was accepted at the school board meeting Monday night, with much regret.
Urish was 94-29 in four years at WHS after going 354-224 in 20 years at Springfield High School.
Urish admitted that the grind and year-round duties of a coach started to wear on him.
“I thought about this during the course of the season, and I am getting a little tired,” he admitted. “I
thought about making summer plans and traveling around, and playing other people and doing other
things, and at this point, I am not wanting to do that.”
He thought after he resigned at Springfield he was done coaching, but a slot opened up at WHS (he was
J-V coach for two years before becoming head coach).
“Coaching Anna (his daughter) and the Lady Bullets have been a real thrill,” said Urish.
There was not one specific event that led Urish to resign; in fact, the “future is very bright” after a 20-10
season that saw numerous injuries for an inexperienced team that had lost five seniors the year previous.
“If it was about winning, I would not be going anywhere,” said Urish, who said “it is becoming less about
wins” for him.
Not being in the building (he is a teacher at SHS) has been challenging, but that was not a deal-breaker;
he credited the Williamsville administration for making it much easier on him.
There are not parent problems behind the decision, and “the kids have worked hard.”
Urish met with his team Friday, and he said a few tears were shed.
“I let them know if we had won 30 games or three, it would not have made any difference,” he said. “It is
just about a guy who is worn down after a long career of basketball.”
Urish has a few years of teaching left, but while “I never say never,” the chances of him prowling the
sidelines again are not high.
“It would take a pretty special situation to get back on the sidelines,” he acknowledged. “I will not actively
pursue another position.”
After his fourth straight 20-win campaign at WHS and with considerable talent returning, it would have
been easy for Urish to return.
“But this is the right decision for me, and I feel it is the right decision for Lady Bullet basketball at this
time,” he said.
In his 24 years as head coach, Urish has won 15 regional titles and two sectional titles (his teams
played in 11 sectional finals); there were only six losing seasons, two three-year stretches at SHS.
Though there were no state trips (a few SHS teams could have made it if the four-class system was in
place at the time, he believes), the biggest regret Urish has nothing to do with that.
“I hope I did not adversely affect my coaches and players,” he said. “Basketball can be a very emotional
game.”
In recent years, Urish admitted he was not as fiery as during his early days.
Despite all the wins and titles and accolades, it is something off the court that Urish mentioned as his
biggest accomplishment.
“I think my biggest accomplishment is that I have kept so many great relationships with former players,”
he said, adding that he saw many former SHS players when the Lady Senators made it to state last month.
“Basketball is really just a vehicle for life’s lessons.”
Urish had six players play Division I basketball.
“I had a lot of players play college basketball, so I guess I did not turn them off from the game,” he said.
“And I always have been proud of how our teams have been perceived by other people, because we played
the game right and did the job in the classroom.”
The Williamsville administration could not say enough about Urish’s contributions.
“Dave Urish is an outstanding coach and will be greatly missed at Williamsville,” said Athletic Director
Doug Furlow. “The time and effort he gave the program is countless.
“Both his dedication and work ethic are top notch and those characteristics were passed on to his
players,” he continued. “It was evident year in and year out that the girls’ basketball team continually got
better throughout the season while under Coach Urish’s guidance.
It was a pleasure to work with Coach Urish, and he will be greatly missed,” Furlow concluded.
Superintendent Dave Root concurred.
“Coach Urish is a Hall of Fame coach and we have been extremely lucky to have had him direct our girls’
program,” Root said. “He will be missed, but we are extremely appreciative for the service he has given to
the district and the level in which he has taken the program.”
Urish also credited “the perfect coach’s wife,” his wife D’Ann.
“She has been very supportive, and if she had not been supportive, there is no way I would have done
this as long as I have,” he noted.
“Basketball has just been wonderful for me,” Urish concluded. “I have made so many wonderful
memories, I have made a lot of great relationships with former players, coaches and opponents, but all
good things must come to an end.”
By Byron Painter
Editor
Williamsville High School is looking for a new girls basketball coach after Illinois Basketball Coaches
Association Hall of Famer Dave Urish submitted his resignation.
Urish’s resignation was accepted at the school board meeting Monday night, with much regret.
Urish was 94-29 in four years at WHS after going 354-224 in 20 years at Springfield High School.
Urish admitted that the grind and year-round duties of a coach started to wear on him.
“I thought about this during the course of the season, and I am getting a little tired,” he admitted. “I
thought about making summer plans and traveling around, and playing other people and doing other
things, and at this point, I am not wanting to do that.”
He thought after he resigned at Springfield he was done coaching, but a slot opened up at WHS (he was
J-V coach for two years before becoming head coach).
“Coaching Anna (his daughter) and the Lady Bullets have been a real thrill,” said Urish.
There was not one specific event that led Urish to resign; in fact, the “future is very bright” after a 20-10
season that saw numerous injuries for an inexperienced team that had lost five seniors the year previous.
“If it was about winning, I would not be going anywhere,” said Urish, who said “it is becoming less about
wins” for him.
Not being in the building (he is a teacher at SHS) has been challenging, but that was not a deal-breaker;
he credited the Williamsville administration for making it much easier on him.
There are not parent problems behind the decision, and “the kids have worked hard.”
Urish met with his team Friday, and he said a few tears were shed.
“I let them know if we had won 30 games or three, it would not have made any difference,” he said. “It is
just about a guy who is worn down after a long career of basketball.”
Urish has a few years of teaching left, but while “I never say never,” the chances of him prowling the
sidelines again are not high.
“It would take a pretty special situation to get back on the sidelines,” he acknowledged. “I will not actively
pursue another position.”
After his fourth straight 20-win campaign at WHS and with considerable talent returning, it would have
been easy for Urish to return.
“But this is the right decision for me, and I feel it is the right decision for Lady Bullet basketball at this
time,” he said.
In his 24 years as head coach, Urish has won 15 regional titles and two sectional titles (his teams
played in 11 sectional finals); there were only six losing seasons, two three-year stretches at SHS.
Though there were no state trips (a few SHS teams could have made it if the four-class system was in
place at the time, he believes), the biggest regret Urish has nothing to do with that.
“I hope I did not adversely affect my coaches and players,” he said. “Basketball can be a very emotional
game.”
In recent years, Urish admitted he was not as fiery as during his early days.
Despite all the wins and titles and accolades, it is something off the court that Urish mentioned as his
biggest accomplishment.
“I think my biggest accomplishment is that I have kept so many great relationships with former players,”
he said, adding that he saw many former SHS players when the Lady Senators made it to state last month.
“Basketball is really just a vehicle for life’s lessons.”
Urish had six players play Division I basketball.
“I had a lot of players play college basketball, so I guess I did not turn them off from the game,” he said.
“And I always have been proud of how our teams have been perceived by other people, because we played
the game right and did the job in the classroom.”
The Williamsville administration could not say enough about Urish’s contributions.
“Dave Urish is an outstanding coach and will be greatly missed at Williamsville,” said Athletic Director
Doug Furlow. “The time and effort he gave the program is countless.
“Both his dedication and work ethic are top notch and those characteristics were passed on to his
players,” he continued. “It was evident year in and year out that the girls’ basketball team continually got
better throughout the season while under Coach Urish’s guidance.
It was a pleasure to work with Coach Urish, and he will be greatly missed,” Furlow concluded.
Superintendent Dave Root concurred.
“Coach Urish is a Hall of Fame coach and we have been extremely lucky to have had him direct our girls’
program,” Root said. “He will be missed, but we are extremely appreciative for the service he has given to
the district and the level in which he has taken the program.”
Urish also credited “the perfect coach’s wife,” his wife D’Ann.
“She has been very supportive, and if she had not been supportive, there is no way I would have done
this as long as I have,” he noted.
“Basketball has just been wonderful for me,” Urish concluded. “I have made so many wonderful
memories, I have made a lot of great relationships with former players, coaches and opponents, but all
good things must come to an end.”
Issue Date: March 19, 2008