By BRUCE HEFFLINGER
hefflinger@crescent-news.com
WAUSEON -- After a quarter-century at the helm of the Wauseon boys basketball program Ken Burgei has decided to call it quits.
Burgei turned in his resignation and the Wauseon school board acted on it on Thursday. Burgei met with his team then to inform them of his intentions.
"The last couple years I've been thinking about it," admitted Burgei, who has been the head coach at Wauseon for 25 years after an 11-year stint as an assistant coach at Delphos St. John's. "I've thought about other avenues in life I'd like to persue. There comes a time to step away and this is it, but I thoroughly have enjoyed it to the end."
Wauseon finished this season with a 15-6 record, losing to Defiance 48-40 in overtime in the Division II sectionals. His overall coaching record was 322-242
"There were a lot of things," Burgei said of his biggest memories during his tenure at Wauseon. "The one that stick in my mind the most was the opportunity to coach my son (Chris). We had a pretty good team then. We lost in the state finals his junior year (1994) and had a good team his senior year.
"Those are special times, getting to share that with your son is very important. And we still like each other after all that."
It wasn't just his outstanding ability to coach that everyone will remember.
"He's meant a lot to Wauseon, not only as a great coach and great leader but as a great person," said Wauseon athletic director Bill Gase. "The kids learned more than just basketball from Ken Burgei.
"Just the way he handled himself ... he was a class act," Gase continued. "He's so respected by the other coaches and the staff at the school. Everybody thinks a lot of him."
One such coach is Wauseon girls basketball coach Brad Myers, who has been at the Fulton County school for 18 years.
"When I think of Ken the first thing that comes to mind is he's a class act and how he handles himself and how he handles the kids," Myers said. "He's just a great person. Not only is he a great coach, but I learned a lot from him on how to run and build a program, including the junior high through high school.
"There's always been a good rapport with both programs. He's always been very supportive of our program and that goes both ways. He's definitely going to be missed come next winter not seeing him in the gym."
Opposing coaches also had the utmost respect for Burgei.
"There are a lot of great guys and successful guys in our profession but I'm not sure anybody has done it better than Kenny has over the years," Defiance High School boys basketball coach Kirk Lehman said. "It's been a privilege playing against them and competing against them. He was always a first-class act. I'm happy for him and wish him nothing but the best, but we lost a great person for our profession."
The opening will now be posted within the school according to Gase, noting that the 58-year-old Burgei will remain at the school as a guidance counselor.
"He's meant a lot to the school and there will obviously be a void," Gase concluded.