[Batpuff]

Flynn headed to Bourbon

Flynn headed to Bourbon

By RICK GREENE — The Independent

Mike Flynn has resigned as Ashland’s basketball coach for a move to Bourbon County where he will be the assistant principal of the high school and the head basketball coach.

Flynn, the longest-tenured boys basketball coach in Ashland’s storied history at nine years from 1997-2006, has a career record of 417-191 and was 182-92 with the Tomcats. He had five 20-win seasons in Ashland and 16th Region championships in 2001 and 2002.

“It’s kind of bittersweet for me and akin to breaking up with that girlfriend at the end of high school when she’s going off to one college and you’re going to another. (Ashland players and assistant coaches) all wished me well and there were a lot of tender and memorable exchanges between us,” Flynn said. “The thing I’ve dreaded the most in all this is the fact I was going to have to tell everybody goodbye.”

Flynn, who replaces Daniel Brown, said jobs that allow a person to be an administrator and a coach are hard to find. Bourbon County Schools Superintendent Lana Fryman said Flynn’s resume impressed members of the search committee.

“His application was outstanding because of his past experience,” Fryman said of Flynn, who also guided Warren Central and Covington Holmes to state tournament appearances. “He has had a good career and his reputation as a good person, a good educator and a good coach are equal. I liked that about him.”

Flynn was hired from about 20 applicants. Bourbon County, which finished 16-10 last season, is in the 10th Region and competes in the 40th District with Clark County, Montgomery County and Paris.

Flynn said the 10th Region offers a strong brand of basketball.

“I really believe it has the most fervent basketball following in the state. It’s known for basketball and it’s evident in the crowds that show up for games,” said Flynn, who is optimistic about some younger talent at his new school. “There’s usually more than 6,000 people at the region final.”

Ashland Athletic Director Mark Swift said a search for Flynn’s successor will begin immediately.

“We are grateful for Mike’s tenure here at Ashland. He is a true professional who conducts himself with great integrity and whose teams reflect the kind of character he possesses,” Swift said. “It will be a difficult task to replace Mike, especially with school starting in just five weeks.”

Swift said the school is looking to land an accomplished coach.

“We’re hopeful the new Tomcat coach would have a history as an experienced coach that has had a successful tenure where he has coached previously,” Swift said. “We’re also hopeful that would include experience in the Sweet Sixteen.”

Raceland coach Shawn Johnson said the 16th Region has lost a good one.

“Mike really promoted this region. He’s in a high profile job so that gave him some credibility,” Johnson said. “When he didn’t go to the state tournament, he would go on his own to scout the team the 16th Region winner was going to play and a lot of coaches wouldn’t do that. We’re going to miss Mike in the region.”

Fryman said their research of Flynn brought praise across the board.

“We called the places he worked and people whom he worked with and they all thought we’d be making a step in the right direction and that he’d be a great asset to our high school program,” Fryman said. “So we’re excited.”

Flynn said he is proud of his accomplishments during his time at Ashland.

“Ashland has been known as a place you could stay two, three, maybe four years and history bears that out,” he said. “The fact that I stayed for nine years speaks well of the relationships I had at Ashland and it speaks well of the administration that it respected stability and continuity in the basketball program.”