FORT MITCHELL, Ky. — Beechwood Independent Schools announced Monday afternoon that Erik Goetz is retiring as the varsity boys basketball coach at Beechwood High School.
Goetz led the Tigers for 10 seasons and is the program's all-time winningest coach with 160 victories during his tenure.
Goetz coached high school basketball for 18 seasons and earned a 289-221 record in his career including 10 seasons at Beechwood and eight seasons at Holy Cross.
Beechwood Independent Schools will immediately begin the search for Goetz’s successor, according to a news release.
“I can’t even begin to thank Erik Goetz for all of the time and energy that he has invested in making Beechwood basketball exciting again for our entire community,” Beechwood High School principal Justin Kaiser said in a statement. “He is everything a coach should be: A fantastic teacher of the game, a mentor for our student-athletes in all facets of their lives and an exceptional role model that uses basketball as a vehicle to teach life lessons that prepare our student-athletes for life after Beechwood. I am so grateful for everything Erik has done.”
Beechwood had an 11-20 record this past season and was the 35th District runner-up.
The Tigers earned plenty of success with Goetz at the helm.
Beechwood captured the school’s first-ever Class A regional championship, landed a spot in the Ninth Region Tournament in three of five seasons and made an unforgettable run to the Ninth Region Championship game in 2019 with a school-record 29 victories that season.
“I have been extremely honored and privileged to serve as coach at Beechwood for the last 10 seasons," Goetz said in a statement.
"My father and his family attended the school and it is with great pride that I have been able to lead the program. I step away extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve."
Goetz, a former Holy Cross High School standout, ranks in the top five in state history in assists and competed on the team that qualified for the Sweet 16 tournament in 1991.
Prior to Beechwood, Goetz coached at Holy Cross for eight seasons and won 129 games for that program.
“He made Beechwood basketball one of the best experiences of my life," Beechwood 2019 graduate Mitchell Schilling said in a statement.
"I’m so unbelievably blessed to have had him as a coach and I will forever be grateful for everything he’s done for me. Coach Goetz built the program and the culture of Beechwood basketball from the ground up. Coach’s dedication and love for the game are unmatched.”
Scotty Draud, a 2021 graduate, echoed his former teammate's perspective. Draud graduated from Beechwood as the Ninth Region's all-time leading scorer and plays at Thomas More University.
“Congratulations to Coach Erik Goetz on an outstanding tenure as Beechwood’s varsity basketball coach," Draud said in a statement.
"Under his leadership, he took the program to unprecedented new heights. Mr. Goetz was a great coach, teacher, mentor and friend, and hopefully the tradition that he and his teams built can continue.”
Goetz is also highly-respected at Beechwood High School as a beloved social studies teacher, and his infectious enthusiasm for the school has led to a trademark on the morning announcements.
During each school-wide broadcast, Goetz refers to Beechwood as “the greatest school in the state of Kentucky.” Goetz says that coaching basketball can be both exhilarating and rewarding in many ways, but the time and stress involved can also take their toll and now is the right time to step away.
Goetz reflected on the connections cultivated through basketball.
“Most importantly, I will cherish forever the memories built with the young men we have had in our program," he said. "The kids have been amazing to work with and have helped build so many wonderful relationships that I will carry on forever."
