By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
He didn’t want to make a formal announcement, but Mike Listerman plans to retire from coaching after he finishes this season with the Holmes boys’ basketball team.
Listerman revealed his decision after notching his 300th victory in 17 years as a head coach when Holmes defeated Brossart, 63-51, in a home game last Thursday. The Bulldogs split their next two games so he has a 301-187 career record going into a district seeding game at Beechwood on Tuesday.
Holmes boys’ basketball coach Mike Listerman, right, receives a trophy and game ball commemorating his 300th career victory from Stan Steidel, the high school’s athletic director. (Photo by Ted Jackson, Jackson Sports Photography)
“I didn’t want any undue pressure on the kids or them trying to win for me,” Listerman said of keeping his retirement plans under wraps until now. “I just want them to play their best and win for themselves, their school and their families.”
The 65-year-old coach said his players and assistants deserve most of the credit for his successful career. The job required a lot of time away from home so he’s grateful for the support and cooperation he got from his wife, Jean, and their children.
Listerman said he still has “a great love for the game,” but he feels like the time has come for someone younger to take charge of the Holmes program. He does plan to continue teaching in a program that provides one-on-one instruction and tutoring for students in Covington Independent Public Schools.
“I’m very proud to say I spent my life as a teacher-coach,” Listerman said. “I can’t stress enough that final word. Coaching is nothing more than teaching, it’s just in a bigger classroom.”
Over the last four seasons, Holmes basketball teams have compiled a 55-48 record under Listerman, including the current team’s 7-10 mark. He spent most of his head coaching career at Covington Catholic, posting a 230-100 record in 11 seasons. Before that, he went 16-39 in two seasons at Harrison County.
Listerman sketches out an inbound play during a home game earlier this season.
Listerman was named head coach at CovCath in 2001 after being an assistant on Dan Tieman’s staff for several years. Tieman retired with a 313-146 record in 15 years as a head coach and Listerman is just a few wins behind his mentor.
“I always thought I wanted to end my career that way,” Listerman said. “It was kind of a goal in the back of my mind that maybe I could last that long and be as successful as him.”
Listerman has taken six teams to the 9th Region championship game during his head coaching career and he’s trying to mold the Holmes team into a regional contender over the final four weeks of the current regular season.
CovCath won regional championships in 2004 and 2006 under Listerman. In the 2004 regional final, CovCath defeated Boone County, a team coached by his son, Kevin, who is now head coach at Highlands. It was the first and only time that a father and son coached against each other in the 9th Region championship game.
After he retires from coaching, Listerman will be able to devote more time to the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Classic basketball games. He started the event in 2001 and it has raised more than $233,000 for local charities over the last 17 years.
After his Holmes team played in one of the classic games last Sunday at BB&T Arena, Listerman received a trophy commemorating his 300 wins as a head coach.
“You talk about touching lives as a coach and with the kids I’ve taught, well I know through the (classic) we’ve inadvertently touched hundreds if not thousands of lives,” Listerman said. “And to think we’ve been able to do it in our own backyard, to help people in our community, that’s very special to me.”
Holmes will conduct its own ceremony to honor Listerman at a basketball home game on Thursday, Feb. 8. His family and friends are invited to attend the game and wear a sweater vest to simulate his usual coaching attire.
