Bethany Irwin stepping down as State College girls’ basketball coach

Bethany Irwin thought she had one more season in her.

Instead, after nearly a quarter-century on the sideline, the State College girls’ basketball program is in need of a new coach.

Irwin told her team Monday afternoon and will officially tender her retirement to the State College Area School District on Wednesday from her coaching position.

“It was probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in quite a long time,” Irwin said by phone Tuesday night. “It was hard because I enjoyed what I did for so long.”

The opening has already been posted on the district website, and will soon appear on external job boards and with media outlets.

Athletic director Peg Pennepacker said the search will be done “quickly but not hurriedly,” and State College will try to find the best person possible in time for the start of the season in early December.

Also stepping down is Irwin’s husband, Rob, her assistant and junior varsity coach.

Bethany Irwin’s tenure was filled with success.

She compiled a 433-216 record overall, including three seasons at Bellefonte. In 23 years with the Lady Little Lions, she was 399-187, racking up eight District 6 titles, five league crowns, two appearances in the PIAA semifinals and sent more than 30 players to college programs. She also made a point to get to know her players off the court, and often went to their games in other sports.

“She obviously knows how to push you to your limits,” senior point guard Kayla Hawbaker said. “She’s not only your coach, she’s also your No. 1 fan. She always loves to see you compete.”

The most prominent of those going to college is her daughter, Kyla, who graduated in June after posting more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and has joined defending national champion Connecticut.

With her daughter with the Huskies, and son, Patrick, a quarterback at Stony Brook, she wanted to make sure she could see them play. Also, her stepdaughter, Kate, is expecting her first child later this year.

“All these things were falling into my lap,” Irwin said. “As a parent, I don’t want to miss that.”

Still, Irwin admits to waffling about the decision ever since her team lost 59-58 to Penn Hills in the first round of the PIAA tournament in March, completing a 20-4 season. At the end of the school year she met with Pennepacker and committed to another season. She held her annual summer basketball camp, hosted open gym sessions for this season’s team, coached a summer league team and kept tabs on girls who were playing AAU ball.

But after a lot of thinking, and with the start of the new school year, she realized she couldn’t keep coaching.

“We were kind of hoping we could get one more year out of her,” Pennepacker said. “Obviously circumstances change … and I know Bethany just labored over this decision.”

When Irwin told the team, Pennepacker and assistant athletic director Ryan Walsh were on hand and thanked the coach for the years of effort.

“It’s hard to find someone like Bethany who, year after year after year, 20-plus years, dedicating her time and expertise to kids,” Pennepacker said. “Coaching in high school is tough.”

When team members got a message to meet after school Monday, and that Pennepacker and Walsh would be present, they knew something was afoot. Now the Lady Little Lions will have to wait to see who their new leader will be.

“It’ll definitely be an adjustment,” Hawbaker said. “She’s been my coach since I was in seventh grade in basketball. It will take some time to get used to whoever we have come in to be our new coach.”

Irwin also had her own college playing career, finishing with 1,186 points and 757 rebounds at Penn State. Her point total ranks 26th on the Lady Lions’ all-time list.

She said she will remain in her position as a paraprofessional with special education students at the Delta School in the district.

She will still go to the occasional Lady Little Lion game, but it also will be strange not being on the bench when December rolls around.

“It was a great ride and 23 years have certainly flown by,” Irwin said. “I think of all the years and all the fun I’ve had with these kids that have come through, it’s just a great life experience. I knew I wasn’t going to make every kid happy that came through, but my goal was to give them a great experience with the game of basketball.”

This story was originally published August 30, 2016 at 9:46 PM with the headline "Bethany Irwin stepping down as State College girls’ basketball coach."