West Geauga hasn’t run a search for a girls basketball coach in more then two decades. By all accounts, the Wolverines most recent search can be categorized as a home run.
West G has hired Bob Beutel as its new girls basketball coach.
Beutel, who has a career record of 694-202 and won a Division III state championship with Gilmour Academy in 2017, is a member of several athletic hall of fames, including the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame.
He also coached the Lancers to the state semifinals in 2016.
In that year, Beutel garnered attenton when he led the Lancers to a 108-1 win over Northeast Ohio Prep in a tournament game on Feb. 17, 2016.
Beutel, 67, said the interest with West Geauga was “mutual.”
“The administration is very enthusiastic,” Beutel said. “The kids are hungry. It should be an exciting time. This is the one I wanted. I was real happy to accept the offer.
“I want to build the program from the elementary school.”
Beutel called his plan “very ambitious.”
He replaced Cheryl Rye, who retired after leading the Wolverines for 22 years.
The West G grad won four Chagrin Valley Conference championships and was honored as a Coach of the Year several times by different organizations. Rye’s career record is 211-258.
However, the Wolverines struggled in recent seasons and the team’s record dipped to 1-22 this past season.
Beutel said he expects improvement for the upcoming season, but didn’t have specifics yet.
“I haven’t put a number on it,” Beutel said. “We have to wait and see. It’s a tenacious group with good athletes who are hungry, but you still have to score. I haven’t seen many shutouts in my career.
“We’ve only had three open gyms,” Beutel said. “The whole thing (being hired) is very late in the process.”
Beutel coached the Lancers for 12 years after he led Eastlake-North for 25 years.
He was non-renewed by Gilmour after the 2016-17 season and did not coach last season.
Beutel said he will have his two long-time assistant coaches with him at West G: wife Claudia Beutel and Greg Dugger.
Beutel said having Claudia Beutel and Dugger at his side again is a big advantage.
“This is exciting for everybody,” he said. “We’re all excited and look forward to it.”
“Just for continuity,” Beutel added. “They’ve been with me so long. It’s a real plus. They know me and my system. They know all my philosophies and concepts. It’s a real plus. They’re great people as far as getting along with kids.”
Beutel even has a tie to Rye as her long-time assistant coach Julie Kless coached under Beutel for one season.
“The previous staff, I have a high regard for,” Beutel said. “They are very good people.”
Beutel added that he doesn’t see an end to his coaching and plans on being at West G long term.
“I have no plan on stopping coaching,” Beutel said. “We’re putting together our plan from the elementary school on up.”
