Lima Central Catholic athletic director Mike Rumschlag (right) introduces Sean Powell (left) as the new Thunderbird boys varsity basketball head coach Friday.
Jose Nogueras | The Lima News
LIMA — Growing up, Sean Powell admired and loved competing against the Lima Central Catholic teams of the 1990s but never imagined he would one day coach the Thunderbirds but that changed when the 1999 Shawnee graduate was introduced Frodau as the boys basketball coach.
Powell, who spent the last two years at Bath, takes over for Frank Kill who stepped down as the head coach after 13 years last month. Prior to joining Bath, he coached at Botkins from 2018 where he went 56-22 and won a state title. Powell went 12-34 at Bath.
“It just took me back to the nineties, growing up and competing against them,” Powell said. “Watching coach (Bob) Seggerson coach an LCC team, you understand that regardless of the talent of the team that they were going to play together, that they were defensive oriented and that is kind of my make-up as a coach so the rich history of LCC and being a part of it is a great feeling.”
LCC athletic director Mike Rumschlag said Powell said there were a number of quality individuals who applied for the position.
“In the end, there were four that we interviewed and then we did a second run of interviews and we had three quality candidates,” Rumschlag said. “What stands out with coach Powell is his complete leadership to a program and his proven success and his drive to compete at the highest level in the state of Ohio.
“As a high school athletic director that is what you want to build and that is what you want to create so we can continue winning and I think that the importance is caring on the tradition of LCC basketball.”
Last year, the T-Birds went 11-13. Powell finished 1-8 and 4-18 in the Western Buckeye League this past season. The previous season, the Wildcats were 2-7 in the WBL and 8-16 overall.
“In just two years you get so close to the kids and you watch them develop every single day so to sit down and have to tell them goodbye is rough,” Powell said. “The support that I had from parents and the administration and working for (Bath Athletic Director) Kristen Holt was great and to leave that is tough but to understand where I am going makes it feel alright.”
Although not successful in his two seasons at Bath, Powell looks to bring his brand of basketball to LCC that he hopes translates into wins similar to his winning days at Botkins.
“Every year as a coach you learn more about yourself,” Powell said. “Things that work. Things that don’t work. This will be my third time starting at a new school so things that worked in the past I will continue to do that and what I feel I need to do better change that.”
Powell understands that it will take time to acclimate to his new environment but has already set high standards.
“The best team in Lima,” Powell responded when asked where he expects LCC to be in four years. “Coaching at LCC, I understand the pressures and being able to play every single school in the area so in four years we want to be the best team here.”
Reach Jose Nogueras at 567-242-0468.
