Blue Devils' Badgley to step down

Sports

March 17, 2010

By David J. Hill The Tonawanda News The Tonawanda News Wed Mar 17, 2010, 10:45 PM EDT

NORTH TONAWANDA — One of the Niagara Frontier League’s veteran coaches won’t be returning to the basketball court next season.

Jim Badgley, who last month wrapped up his 10th season as head coach of the Kenmore West boys team, is taking some time off so that he can spend more time watching his 11-year-old daughter play basketball.

“My daughter’s actively involved in basketball. She got involved because of me, and I’d rather not hear how she does through a text message,” Badgley said Wednesday. “I don’t want to look back on it and say, ‘I should have been (watching her games).’ It’s the easiest yet toughest decision I’ve had to make.”

Badgley’s Blue Devils went 8-11 overall this season, finishing with a loss to Sweet Home in the sectional prequarterfinals. Badgley coached Kenmore West to the Niagara Frontier League title during the 2004-05 season, ending Niagara Falls’ string of five straight league championships.

All told, Badgley has coached for two decades, including stints mentoring football and baseball teams. For the past several summers, he’s run a Kenmore West basketball camp for elementary and high school aged boys players, along with junior varsity coach Mike Meetze, who is expected to be among Badgley’s potential successors.

“The biggest thing I’ll miss is the kids,” said Badgley, who teaches at Kenmore Middle School. “I get to see them at the middle school and see them grow and mature — I’m going to miss that and being part of a team, just working with kids and seeing them develop.”

Badgley, 40, didn’t rule out returning to coaching in the future. “It’s quite possible. I’m definitely open to it,” he said. “Ten years, it’s been a good ride, but I’m young enough that I can get back into it. Right now, my heart’s with my daughter more so than Kenmore West basketball.”

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