CINCINNATI — Woodward High School will always be home for Jarelle Redden.
"I became a better man working at Woodward," Redden said. "I learned how to be a better person."
The longtime Woodward boys basketball head coach announced he is stepping down from the program after leading it since July 2017. Redden has accepted an assistant coaching position with the South Carolina State University men's basketball program.
Prior to being the Woodward head coach, Redden was the lead Woodward assistant coach under former head coach Paul McMillan III from 2013-17. McMillan later became Redden's assistant coach.
"He was the ideal person to coach at Woodward," McMillan said. "He did a phenomenal job. Just a really selfless coach."
Redden, a 2004 Western Hills High School graduate, relentlessly worked to have the Woodward basketball program be a source of strength for all Woodward students.
"His heart was always in the right place while he carried out his responsibilities as a mentor, a coach, a teacher, a dad, an advocate and a servant to the community of Woodward High School," said Woodward Athletic Director Jabreel Moton.
Lake Land College (Mattoon, Ill.) sophomore guard Aaron Davis, a 2021 Woodward graduate, said Redden was a father figure, mentor and counselor in his life. Redden is someone Davis can always trust.
"I think he loves helping kids who he sees himself in," Davis said. "He's one everybody feels comfortable talking to. He's definitely a people person."
McMillan said Woodward students could always look up to Redden throughout the school year.
"He's a great father figure, just a great family person," McMillan said. "He's just a model guy."
The Bulldogs' success on the basketball court speaks for itself.
Woodward was a 2022 Division II regional runner-up and 2023 district runner-up. Redden had a 111-61 overall record at Woodward including 14-7 in the postseason.
He was the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference Red Division coach of the year in 2022. Woodward earned two conference championships and two district titles under Redden.
He also coached Paul McMillan IV, a 2022 Woodward graduate, who completed his career as No. 6 on the Ohio High School Athletic Association's all-time scoring list. McMillan, the son of Coach McMillan, committed to Canisius University. He was named the Gatorade Ohio boys basketball player of the year his senior year at Woodward.
"Coach Redden has helped me by translating basketball lessons into the real world," Paul McMillan IV said. "No matter what your profession is in life, hard work always beats talent in the long run. "I will always remember him telling me his life and basketball stories to help better my life on and off the court. Really grateful for those times."
But, the basketball accolades aren't the first aspect the 38-year-old Redden prefers to focus on when speaking about his time at the Cincinnati Public School.
"I grew to love Woodward," Redden said.
Fifteen Woodward boys basketball players enrolled in college programs. Several other student-athletes have earned collegiate opportunities academically, too.
"It makes me proud," Redden said.
Former Woodward star power forward Terry Durham is preparing for graduation at West Alabama later this month. He's earning a degree in social sciences.
"Coach Redden is so effective at helping others because he doesn't want to see kids out on the street," Durham said. "That's just always been him. Either people like it or not but that man changed a lot of people's lives especially mine. He wants all his athletes to get ready for college and life ahead of them."
Redden spoke about how he coached Kanye Moreland, who developed into a four-year starter in high school. Moreland is now a guard at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama.
"Some advice Coach Rell gave me was just to do what I can control and God will take care of the rest," Moreland said. "What I remember from Coach Rell during my time was him coaching his players to the best of their abilities and just looking out for everybody. Even kids in school could go and talk to coach. If you were having a bad day you could go to coach and he would've made it a little better."
Redden's impact is immeasurable in Bond Hill.
"Coach Redden's legacy here at Woodward will be his passion and dedication with all the countless hours he spent in the gym dedicated not only to basketball but to growing relationships with the students of Woodward, whether you were one of his players or just a student in the hall," Moton said.
"Coach Redden was consistently there both on and off the court for his student-athletes and continuously pouring into the relationships he had built with them."
Several people inspired Redden during his high school coaching journey, including his late mentor and former longtime Woodward assistant coach Dennis Bettis, whose name adorns the Woodward basketball court.
If Bettis didn't offer his significant support, Redden likely wouldn't have been the Woodward head coach.
"He was always a pillar and an icon," Redden said. "When he died it was more motivation to keep the program rolling and strong."
It's that mindset that is why Redden wants Woodward to continue its success on the basketball court and beyond. Redden wants the new head coach to understand those important principles.
"I want it to be somebody who is going to be hungry, fiery and someone who is selfless," Redden said.
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