BASKETBALL Gary Conroy opts to resign at Fitch

The Falcons compiled a 110-82 record in nine seasons for the coach.
AUSTINTOWN -- Twenty-two years of coaching basketball at various high school levels has taken its toll on Fitch's Gary Conroy.
Friday, Conroy resigned after nine seasons as the Falcons' varsity head coach.
"I need to step away," Conroy said. "After 20-plus years of coaching, you can start to feel burnout. This sort of job has a shelf life. Everybody gets tired at some time."
Conroy replaced Tom Fender as the Fitch varsity coach before the 1996-97 season. His teams compiled a 110-82 record, with seven seasons in the Steel Valley Conference and two in the Federal League.
"He's not the type of coach whose shoes will be easily filled," Fitch athletic director Dick Kenney said. "Gary has led our program to some of the best moments in our basketball history."
Career highlight
Conroy said his most memorable moment was the Falcons' 57-52 district semifinal win over unbeaten North Canton Hoover in the 2004 tournament.
"That was the highlight of my career, definitely," said Conroy, remembering that the Falcons had lost to the Vikings by 17 points in the regular season. "Hoover was undefeated and ranked number one in the state.
"There was a lot of anticipation for a Hoover-Canton McKinley rematch," Conroy said. "So I told the team, 'Let's be the spoilers.' "
Sparked by Terrell Eargle and Mark Aikens, the 2003-04 team finished in third place in Fitch's initial season in the Federal League.
"Gary's teams practiced and played hard," Kenney said. "Gary ushered our program into a new era by competing hard in the Federal League."
.500 this season
This year's team was 10-10 overall and 2-5 in the eight-team Federal League for a sixth-place finish. The Falcons lost their tournament opener, 71-50, to Massillon.
Conroy said the new Fitch coach faces quite a challenge -- being competitive in the Federal League that boasts the Division I state champion (McKinley) as well perennial contender Hoover.
A 1975 graduate of Fitch, Conroy received his teaching degree at Kent State University. He coached the Fitch freshman team for one season before becoming the junior varsity coach for 12 seasons.
"Gary is a winner and our kids learned many things other than basketball from him," Fitch High principal Douglas McGlynn said. "Gary's winning attitude was very contagious and all of our programs benefited."
A physical education teacher at Fitch, Conroy said he will be teaching in one of Austintown's elementary schools next fall.
"Gary has been a tremendous asset to our basketball program," Austintown superintendent Stanley Watson said. "More importantly, he has been a tremendous role model for our kids and an excellent teacher."
After the Austintown Local Schools Board of Education accepts the resignation, Fitch will launch a formal search for a replacement.