Stepping down as SPASH girls coach 'bittersweet' for Kirklewski
STEVENS POINT - For the past four years, Derek Kirklewski has spent a large portion of his life building relationships with the children of other parents as the Stevens Point Area Senior High girls basketball coach.
He also spent countless hours involved in trying to develop a strong basketball program, from the hoops club level all the way to the varsity level.
Kirklewski's commitment to the SPASH program came at a personal cost, however. He was missing out on seeing his daughter Sage and son Parker, who live with his ex-wife in Neenah, grow up.
RELATED: SPASH prevails in Negaard debut
RELATED: Upset bid eludes SPASH
After some soul searching at the end of the season, Kirklewski said his desire to spend more time with his kids outweighed his passion for coaching. In early March, he announced he was stepping down as the SPASH girls basketball coach.
"It was not an easy decision, but ultimately I decided (coaching) wasn't worth what I was missing with my kids," Kirklewski said. "It was a very, very hard decision. It had nothing to do with not wanting to coach any more. It was strictly a family decision."
Parker is 13 and in eighth grade. Sage is 12 and in sixth grade.
Kirklewski replaced Dave Hauser, who stepped down after the 2012-13 season to help coach his sons on the SPASH boys team, at the helm of the girls program prior to the start of the 2013 season.
In his four seasons, Kirklewski posted a 38-57 record, including a 23-25 mark in the Wisconsin Valley Conference. The Panthers went 10-14 last season and had their season conclude with a 55-42 loss to Appleton West in a Division 1 regional final.
"It's bittersweet," Kirklewski said. "I'm incredibly proud of what we've done the last four years. I just wish family circumstances were different and I wouldn't even have been thinking about not being the SPASH coach."
Efforts to reach SPASH Athletics Director Mike Blair about the search for a replacement were unsuccessful.
Whomever takes over the reins will inherit a talented roster. The Panthers lost only one senior and return freshman Leah Earnest, who was a second team All-Wisconsin Valley Conference pick. Rachel Sullivan and Madisyn Rogan are back after earning honorable mention WVC honors.
In addition, Maggie Negaard, a Drake University commit, should be healthy for a full season after missing much of the 2016-17 season recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the spring.
RELATED: Knee injury blindsides Negaard
Kirklewski said he'll miss the bonds that come with coaching high school sports.
"The relationships you build with the players are really special," Kirklewski said. "I'm going to miss being in the gym with them for four months. I think next fall when hoops club meetings and practice starts, that's going to be a little tougher to handle."
Scott A. Williams can be reached at 715-345-2282, or by email at ssswilliam@stevenspoint.gannett.com. Find him on Twitter as @SPJScottWill