Liberty girls basketball coach retires

Brad Oyler, who led the Liberty High School girls basketball team to its only state championship, has decided to give up his position as the Blue Jays’ head coach.

On Friday, Oyler, 48, confirmed a school-district press release that announced his retirement, expressing a desire to take time off after spending 25 years in coaching, including 11 at Liberty.

“There were parts of me that felt like the girls deserve a little better effort. I was feeling tired, so I thought — with the team I had coming back — give somebody an opportunity to have a couple of good years with them,” said Oyler, who led the Blue Jays to a 17-12 record this season and an appearance in the Missouri Class 5 state quarterfinals. “I really enjoy these girls I had this year. It was fun working with a young bunch, but (coaching was) still mentally and physically draining.”

Through three head coaching jobs, with stops at Savannah and Polo before Liberty, Oyler has amassed a 391-172 career record. In 2007, Liberty made an improbable run to the state championship that was highlighted by a 20-point state semifinal comeback against Columbia Hickman, a team with standout Yvonne Anderson, the daughter of Missouri coach Mike Anderson.

After that win, the Blue Jays defeated Hazelwood East (St. Louis) and won their first state title, and Oyler was selected The Star’s All-Metro girls coach of the year.

In 1998, Oyler also finished as a Missouri Class 3A state runner-up while coaching at Savannah.

“I’ve been blessed to work with some good, hard-working, talented girls,” Oyler said. “I have really enjoyed all three school districts that I’ve worked in. I have a lot of fond memories of all three of them.”

Although Oyler, who said he hasn’t celebrated a Christmas in more than two decades because of his coaching schedule, looks forward to taking a break, he may decide to return to the sidelines one day.

“It could be that I take a year or two off and get back into coaching, or I might not. I don’t know,” he said. “I feel like I need a break at this time and after that see what opportunities are there and go from there.”

submitted by CANDACE BUCKNER - 2009-03-27 23:30:02

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