Edgewood girls - Departing Coach Gary Sims
ELLETTSVILLE, Ind. – (Updated 3/14) After 17 years at Edgewood, girls basketball coach Gary Sims has informed his team that he will be retiring from coaching, marking the end of a highly successful career. During his tenure, Sims led the Mustangs to 248 victories and three sectional titles. Before his time at Edgewood, he coached Mitchell’s boys' varsity basketball team, guiding them to their last sectional championship in 1997. This season, the Edgewood varsity team finished with a 12-11 record. However, good Varsity Club member reports they were off to a strong 9-1 start before junior and leading scorer Madi Bland suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Bland is expected to return next year alongside ten(!) other seniors, including two additional double-digit scorers, Macey Crider and Ally Bland. Meanwhile, the JV team secured 15 wins, though much of their success came from the junior class. Report continues that beyond next season, the program faces some rebuilding challenges. The current sophomore class consists of three players that received limited time at the varsity level, and there were no freshmen on the roster this season. Additionally, the eighth-grade team struggled, meaning the next coach will likely need to develop talent from the promising seventh-grade group, which finished with an impressive 24-1 record. Varsity Clubber indicates the program is well supported by the school and parents. Edgewood's athletic facilities are being upgraded. A new auxiliary gym is under construction at the high school, and the weight room was upgraded last year. Additionally, a certified strength coach now receives a stipend to oversee the weight program during and after school. Stipend for the coaching vacancy: $8,000. Current JV coach John Justus is a front-runner for the position.
