Walz steps down as SL boys basketball coach

Spirit Lake boys basketball coach John Walz gives senior Kyle Heidebrink a handshake in recognition for the four years he gave to the program after taking him out for the final time during a Class 2A district quarterfinal game against Emmetsburg on Wednesday, Feb. 17.

"I gave it my all for nine years," said Walz. "It took a lot of time. But I I think the program is a lot better since I've gotten here. My kids are at the age where I want to enjoy them. I only saw a game and a half of Morgan's basketball games this year. I have a great passion for the game of basketball, but it's not as much as my love for my family and my kids. The timing was just right. There's a bunch of good young players coming in and hopefully the new person can take it to the level I always wanted to. My dreams and aspirations were to make Spirit Lake the best I could. Even though I didn't get them to where I wanted to be, I did my best."

The Estherville native has held the SL coaching job for the past nine seasons. He and his wife Joy have three children, their daughter Morgan is an eighth-grade student, son J.P. is in fifth grade and son Wesley is 2-years-old. The former Iowa Lakes (1985) and Iowa State (1988) graduate, also received his Master's degree in special education from ISU in 1999.

Walz's coaching career began as a manager for famed ISU coach Johnny Orr. He coached baseball at Roland-Story for two years before serving as an assistant boys basketball coach at Ames High School for five years. During that time span, Ames won a Class 4A state title under the leadership of Fred "The Mayor" Hoiberg, who was named Mr. Basketball in Iowa in 1991.

"Even though I was just one of the assistant coaches, it was a feeling I'll never forget," Walz said. "Every coach and player dreams of being in the title game, but it only happens to a select few."

Walz then took on the assistant men's basketball ('94-'95) and head baseball ('94-'01) coaching positions at his alma mater, Iowa Lakes, before coming to Spirit Lake. Besides taking on his duties as boys basketball coach, he has also helped coach eighth and ninth grade football and varsity baseball during his nine-year tenure at SL.

Although his Indians suffered through a disappointing season on the hardwood this past season, finishing 7-15 overall and 2-12 in Lakes Conference play, Walz was only two seasons removed from an 18-6 campaign in which Spirit Lake advanced all the way to the Class 3A substate finals (SL lost a 57-40 contest to a Sioux City Bishop Heelan squad that featured two future Division-I prospects in Brennan Cougill and Zach McCabe that season).

"It was an unbelievable run," Walz said. "It was definitely a team that started together as young kids playing in AAU tournaments in fourth grade. They played such great team basketball and they were as good of students as they were basketball players."

Walz has a career coaching record of 70-129 at Spirit Lake. The substate appearance was the first for the Indians since 1964 and 18 was the most wins at the school since 1942. Walz was also named the Coach of the Year of the league in 2007-08.

Other highlights of his coaching career, include the state championship at Ames, Iowa State being selected to the NCAA Tournament to take on Craig Neal and Georgia Tech in 1988 when he was a manager there and seeing his ball club beat Spencer in the district final game back in 2008.

"My biggest win here was the district final win over Spencer," he said. "They beat us twice in the regular season, but we got them the third time around. The energy in that gym in Sheldon was off the charts. It was also a time when there was a lot of adversity going on at Spirit Lake and it seemed to help bring the community together."

Walz plans on retaining his teaching position at the school, but has not completely ruled out getting back into the coaching profession someday down the road.

"I bleed red and black," he said. "My family loves it here. I have had other opportunities to pursue other things, but we've made Spirit Lake our home."

With how passionate Walz is in regard to basketball, getting out of coaching was a tough decision, but he has definitely been thankful for the opportunity.

"I want the community to know that I'm very thankful for all the generous support they have given, whether it was for the youth basketball tournament or donations for poster sponsorship," said Walz. "It's been a privilege and an honor to work with our youth in the community. I've given my best for nine year and I know the time is right. There has already been an outpouring of e-mails from former players thanking me for the time I've given and that's what matters most to me."