By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com
SPRING LAKE – Veteran Spring Lake girls basketball coach Rich Hyde is leaving the team to spend more time with his family.
This announcement came as a surprise following the Lakers’ 2014-15 campaign, when they posted a perfect 20-0 regular season record.
“I made the decision to step down back in October,” Hyde told Local Sports Journal. “My wife and I were looking at family dynamics and decided that it was a perfect time for me to concentrate on my children as they grow up.”
Rich Hyde
Hyde spent four seasons as the girls varsity basketball coach, compiling a record of 59-28. He previously spent seven years as a junior varsity boys coach and three as the JV girls coach before being promoted to the varsity.
Overall Hyde spent 17 years of coaching at Spring Lake at different levels, compiling a total of 344 victories.
“I came to this wonderful community to just become a teacher,” Hyde said. “Bill Core, who was coaching varsity at the time, took me under his wing.
“Coaching started as a hobby, but when I took the (varsity) position I looked at it as an extension to the classroom for the students.”
The Lakers had a historic season in Hyde’s last year, finishing undefeated in the regular season and winning their first district title in five years before losing in the regional semifinals to Sparta.
“I was very fortunate to have a great group of kids this year,” he said. “I have had some great teams in the past but this team had a great personality.
“Experiencing the success we had this year with this group of girls was a dream. I do not think they understand quite yet the history we achieved as a group.”
Hyde said he plans to remain involved with Spring Lake basketball, but with less responsibility.
