COLUMBUS, Ohio — Scott Kerr is the new Middletown boys’ basketball coach pending Board of Education approval, the Middletown athletic department announced Thursday afternoon.
"I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to coach at Middletown for many reasons," Kerr told WCPO.com. "Most importantly I have the awesome opportunity to work with young men in my hometown and help them learn to lead successful loves outside of athletics. That's really why I teach and coach in the first place and basketball is just a vehicle used to teach these lessons and values."
Kerr, the Purcell Marian boys’ basketball coach since April 2014, takes over for former Ohio State point guard Mark Baker, who stepped down after three years. Kerr will be a social studies teacher at Middletown High School.
Kerr, a 1990 Middletown graduate, led the Cavaliers to a 40-12 record with two district titles. The team won its first undefeated GCL Co-Ed championship in school history during the 2015-16 season and its first league title since 2006-07.
"We are very fortunate to have an elite coach like Scott at Middletown," new athletic director Aaron Zupka said. "I am very excited to have the opportunity to bring Scott back home to his Middie family and we are looking forward to continuing the great tradition of the Middletown basketball program. Scott brings passion and enthusiasm on and off the court like very few in the business."
The Middies were 11-14 overall and 6-10 in the Greater Miami Conference this past season.
Kerr also previously coached at Clark Montessori from September 2008 to April 2014 and was 96-42 with two league titles. He led the teams to their first league, sectional and district titles in school history.
Prior to that, Kerr coached at Mariemont from May 2005 to April 2008.
"Teams coached by Kerr always have a physical and mental toughness to them that starts on the defensive end of the court. Scott's history and knowledge of Middletown will help reconnect alumni, draw more current students to the program and develop a stronger infrastructure for the Middletown youth and elementary programs," Zupka said.
Kerr is currently a social studies teacher at the Live Oaks Career Development Campus in Milford, was also previously as Mason assistant from August 1998 to May 2005 under longtime Comets’ head coach Greg Richards.
"Middletown is a basketball town - really a high school sports town - and when we've got everything rolling Wade E. Miller (gymnasium) 1.0 and soon 2.0 will be rocking," Kerr said. "Our kids are going to love pulling the Middletown jersey on and going out to compete in front of the people of Middletown."
