LEIPSIC – Despite sharing the Putnam County League title this season the boys basketball program will be in search of their next head coach as head coach Chris Kuhlman has announced his resignation on Tuesday afternoon.
This season the Vikings finished finished 14-9 overall with the season reaching it’s conclusion in a 41-31 sectional finals loss to conference mate Kalida on the floor at Bluffton University.
Navigating their first season as members of the Northwest Conference the Vikings finished at 4-4 while finishing as tri-champions in the Putnam County League at 5-2 to earn their eighth all-time county crown and first under Kuhlman.
Over the course of his six seasons as the Vikings bench boss the 39-year old Kuhlman finished with a record of 74-65 after taking over for Scott Maag following the 2016 season.
An assistant under Maag before snagging the top job, Kuhlman was part of a run that included a run to the state finals during a 25-5 season in 2012-13 that saw the program finish as runner-up in Division 4 following a loss to Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph in the finals.
“For some people I suppose leaving a job isn’t difficult. I wish that was my experience. Coaching for the last 15 years at Leipsic hasn’t been a job. It has been my family’s life. While coaching at Leipsic, I’ve gotten married, had 3 kids, won and lost alot of games, and developed a love for a community that I do not live in. Leipsic has accepted us and given me an opportunity to live my life long dream. But now it is time for me to fulfill another life long dream of being a great, present husband and dad. Michelle, Kellan, Kinsey, and Kamryn have had to deal with the ups and downs of being a coach’s family and they will never realize the gratitude that I have for them allowing me to do so ” said Kuhlman on his decision to step away.
Leipsic will say goodbye to four seniors at the end of the school year from their conference winning club that featured Fabian Pena, Dillan Niese, Blake Liffick, and all-time leading scorer Mason Brandt who was selected as an All-Ohio pick this season and will play collegiately at the University of Findlay next year.
Looking back at his time in the purple and gold the now former coach opined “In 15 years coaching at Leipsic we won 203 games, 4 league championships (‘12, ‘13, ‘16,‘22), had 5 1,000 point scorers, and 4 League players of the year, and a State Runner up trophy but the accomplishment that I’m most proud of is the countless family members I’ve gained. The relationships are what make this profession special and I am going to miss it greatly”.