By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Rhonda Klette is retiring from coaching after spending 21 years with the Scott girls basketball program and the last 14 as head coach of the Eagles.
“It’s always a tough decision,” Klette said of leaving the team she also played for in high school. “Coaching is something I love to do and enjoyed for the last 21 years. I was just thinking about retiring from teaching in the next year or so and kind of want to do things for myself. You know, coaching is really just all about the kids. I spent the last 21 years really focusing on that and growing the program. I just need to take a step back from it all now.”
Rhonda Klette
Klette said her teams compiled a 213-217 record over the last 14 seasons. She took over the Scott program in 2005-06, the first year it became a member of the 10th Region, and six of her first seven teams finished with a losing record. Over the last seven seasons, however, the Eagles posted a 138-86 record and reached the 10th Region championship game twice.
“That really speaks to my coaching staff and the kids who really vested themselves into building a good program,” Klette said of the recent success. “I’m leaving the program in a really good position, I think.”
Last season, Scott finished with a 23-11 record after losing in the 10th Region semifinals. The Eagles were runner-up in the first Kentucky 2A State Tournament during the regular season and won their first 37th District title.
Two of the team’s starting players were sophomores Sophia Allen and Mya Meredith, who averaged 25.2 points and eight rebounds in her first season as a transfer student at Scott. Meredith was voted third-team all-state in the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper’s statewide coaches poll.
“You’re always going to have kids you feel like you want to stay for, and we definitely do,” Klette said. “It took a lot of soul searching, but then I started thinking, there’s other things I want to do. I just think it’s time for someone else to take over who has that 100 percent passion for it.”
Klette is an 1982 graduate of Scott. She was a four-year starter on the girls basketball team and attended the University of Dayton on a basketball scholarship. She returned to Scott as a special education teacher and was an assistant girls basketball coach for seven years before taking charge of the program.
She’s now a department chair for special education and works in the learning center with students who need educational support. She plans to remain at Scott for at least another year. She gave up coaching to spend more time with her family, travel and get more involved with long-distance cycling.
“I do different rides in the summer and it piqued my interest to really wanting to do more major rides,” she said. “And I’m at that stage where I don’t have a lot of years left to do it.”
Beechwood player leading the state in hitting, slugging categories
Logan Castleman
Beechwood senior outfielder Logan Castleman entered the week with the highest batting average (.700) and slugging percentage (1.325) in the state baseball statistics compiled by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.
In three games played over the weekend, the Wright State University recruit went 6-for-9 at the plate with four walks, two doubles, two home runs, five RBI and four stolen bases. He’s now batting .700 (28-for-4o) with 14 extra-base hits and 53 total bases in 16 games for the undefeated Tigers.
Beechwood senior shortstop John Odom leads the state in runs scored with 30, followed by Castleman with 29. Two local players — Blaine Walters of Cooper and Jack Raisbeck of Covington Catholic — are among six pitchers in the state that have a 0.00 earned run average after taking the mound in at least four games.
Ryle waiting for Board of Education to approve new basketball coach
Keaton Belcher is expected to be named boys head basketball coach at Ryle High School once the Boone County Board of Education approves a recommendation for him to be hired.
Belcher has already resigned as boys head basketball coach at Pendleton County. He was in charge of that program for the last five seasons and his teams compiled an 83-72 record with three district titles.
Ryle began looking for a new boys basketball coach when David McFarland resigned in March. His teams compiled a 62-111 record over the last six seasons with one district title and an 0-3 record in 9th Region tournament games.
Walton-Verona is also looking for a new boys head basketball coach. The local schools with girls head coaching vacancies are Campbell County, Scott and Holmes.
