FRANK KILL
Frank Kill has decided to move in a new direction and has stepped down as the Lima Central Catholic’s boys basketball head coach Monday.
Kill, who has coached the T-Birds for 13 seasons, said it was one of the toughest decision to make but has been mulling over making the move for some time and said he felt it was time to step away from the coaching as well as the teaching world.
Kill was hired in May of 2010, taking over for Bob Seggerson. In those 13 seasons, Kill went 206-100 and took LCC to three straight state championship games, winning twice in 2014 and 2016. Overall, he had just two losing seasons. He recorded five straight seasons with 20 or more wins from 2012-2016.
Last year, the T-Birds went 11-13 and in the last two years was 22-24.
“Finding joy in life is extremely important and not always easy,” Kill said. “But coaching has always brought me joy and playing has been something I have done since I was 8 years old. Watching LCC basketball since I was a sixth-grader, I always had this love of my life and that is basketball.
“Honestly over the last two years I have not found that joy where winning didn’t mean anything and I wasn’t satisfied and my wife looked at me with two weeks to go in the season and said, ‘if you are not happy, get out because life is too short,’ and I think what I have done over 13 years, I should be able to find that joy and it is just missing. Teaching is the same way. I am stepping away at the end of the school year and going in the opposite direction.”
In a prepared statement from LCC, “Lima Central Catholic High School would like to thank Mr. Kill for his nearly 21 years of service. He has served LCC as a teacher, athletic director, assistant golf coach, assistant basketball coach, and as head coach for boys basketball. During his career, Coach Kill has been a part of five state championship teams and has helped build the LCC athletic tradition. More importantly, Coach Kill has been a mentor to countless young men and women that have walked the halls of LCC. Please join LCC as we express our gratitude to Frank Kill for embodying and shaping the tradition of LCC and saying yes 21 years ago. LCC wishes the best for Mr. Kill and his family as they begin a new journey together.”
Kill admits he has not found another job and will be pursuing a new career path.
“I am really excited about this new chapter,” Kill said. “I have a few opportunities that I have thought about but at the end of the day is my wife and kids and to be able to spend time with them. It is definitely something I have prayed on, absolutely the last three weeks, and losing a lot of sleep over this. When you have been committed to a school and phenomenal institution like Lima Central Catholic it wasn’t an easy decision.
“The education burnout is real and I think this is something that is not to be taken lightly because I take my job very seriously and I feel like I wasn’t doing my fullest and the kids deserve better, especially in coaching. They deserve some one that is actually going to bring that joy every day. Not to say that I didn’t. I tried to fake it to make it but I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
Ironically, it was his being hired at LCC as an assistant that Kill points to as perhaps his biggest highlight at LCC, along with the championship runs.
“I think about 21 years ago was the highlight, that Coach Seggerson asked me to be on his coaching staff,” Kill said. “I couldn’t thank Coach Seggerson enough giving me that opportunity and here I am to think this small-town kid from Venedocia, Ohio was able to lead one of the best teams in the state of Ohio in 2014 and 2016. Those were the glory years of coaching basketball. There was a lot of stress. Great group of coaches, players. I am proud do be a part of this community and what we have accomplished but these past two years have been tough.
“I want to thank (Stephanie) Williams for giving me this opportunity and Mike Rumschlaug and John Schneiders for sticking with me because if I don’t have state titles on my résumé I would probably be asked to step down. In the last five years I am three games over .500 and that is not the LCC way and hopefully whoever comes in here next will do well. The cupboard here is looking good. It is not empty. There is a lot of talent coming.”
Even though he is stepping away from education, Kill admits as he steps away that having daily interaction with the students is something he will miss the most.
“I always said I was 44 young because they kept me young, but I’ll miss the relationship I had with certain kids. I will miss the day-to-day action with my co-workers. I love my teachers that I work with but unfortunately that part of the job could not fill my void of happiness. I will miss working with my teachers and my administration who are the best and the kids that continue to want to be coached I’ll miss the most.”
Kill added that he has not ruled out coming back to coaching.
“It is not out of the question and maybe two years down the road and after I get my feet wet in a new career, I might. I can’t rule that out now but I’ve always said I was a teacher. I’ve always said I am a coach; just because I am not coaching I am still a coach to certain kids.”
