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The Texas Panhandle is famous for three things: Route 66, massive steaks and legendary girls basketball coach Joe Lombard.
The second-winningest coach in Texas history with 1,379 victories, Lombard has stepped down as the coach at Canyon, ending a 42-year career. Winner of 19 state titles, Lombard was nicknamed "Joe Champion" by former Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. While he is just 37 wins away from the all-time win total for girls basketball, Lombard felt that the time was right to retire
"It was a difficult decision," Lombard told
Press Pass Sports. "But I wanted to retire on my own terms and I feel I was able to do that. I'm still going to be around and hopefully helping the Lady Eagles next year."
Lombard is one of many legendary coaches who have decided to retire in 2020. Here's a look at 25 of the best to ever walk the sidelines.
Bob Ames, Meridian (Bellingham, Wash.), footballAmes compiled a record of 332-168 since
coming to Meridian in 1974. He won three state titles and made the championship game three other times.
Lori Blade, Edwardsville (Ill.), girls basketball
Blade stepped down as the
girls basketball coach at Edwardsville after 26 seasons with 743 career
wins and just 92 losses. She also has a record of 729-118 in softball
and will continue coaching that sport at the school.
Alan Byrd, Pocomoke (Md.), boys soccer
In 40 years as head coach Byrd won eight state championships in boys soccer and finished second four times.
Jeni Case, Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio), volleyball
Case stepped down after 14
seasons with Ursuline Academy, winning four state championships and
posting a record of 490-135 overall including 334-55 at Ursuline. She
was named national coach of the year in 2016.
Glenn Dyer, Bonnabel (Kenner, La.), boys basketball
Dyer ended his 41-year career
at Bonnabel, posting 804 wins since arriving in 1979. He led his team to
the Final Four five times.
Jeff Ferguson, Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.), football
Ferguson coached 18 seasons at Totino-Grace and posted a record of 187-35 with eight state championships.
Steve Graff, Chiawana (Pasco, Wash.), football
Winner of four state championships,
Graff steps down after posing a record of 203 wins and 59 losses. He won
three state titles at Pasco and one at Chiawana.
Danyle Heilig, Eastern (Voorhees, N.J.), field hockey
Heilig's team won 21 consecutive Group 4 state championships in her 21 seasons of coaching. Her teams had a record of 512-14-6.
Mike Janda, Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose, Calif.), football
Janda
coached 36 years at Bellarmine, 41 years overall and amassed 286 wins
in his career. His teams won six Central Coast Section championships and
14 West Coast Athletic League titles.
Ray Jaramillo, Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.), boys tennis
Jaramillo's team lost only
two dual matches during his time as head coach. Albuquerque won eight
straight state championships under Jaramillo, part of a 17-year state
title win streak. Jaramillo was the MaxPreps boys tennis coach of the
decade.
Bill Kramer, Naples (Fla.), football
Kramer won 216 games at Naples and a pair of state championships.
Dodd Lee, Picayune (Picayune, Miss.), football
Lee won two state championships
and posted a record of 265-102 in 26 seasons. They reached the Class 5A
state championship game this year and finished 14-1.
Lennox spent 27 years at Interboro, winning 229 games. In 38 seasons of coaching, Lennox went 313-115-2.
Joe Lombard, Canyon (Texas), girls basketball
The winningest active girls
basketball coach in the nation stepped down after 42 seasons. He went
1,379-133 with 19 total state championships, including 13 at Canyon. He
also won seven state cross country championships.
Rick Lorenz, Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.), girls volleyball
Lorenz
concluded his career with 1,342 wins in 44 seasons, 32 of them at
Central Catholic. He also won 11 state championships, the last one in
2016.
Randy McPherson, Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.), football
McPherson spent 24 seasons as a head
coach, including the last 18 at Lowndes. He went 252-55 with three
state championships and eight region championships.
Speedy Morris, St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), boys basketball
Morris won over
1,000 career games at the college and high school level combined and won
over 300 games with two different schools. He most recently coached at
St. Joseph's Prep and has won over 561 games in the Philadelphia
Catholic League.
Steve Paulsen, Edina (Minn.), girls tennis
Paulsen coached 28 seasons at Edina, winning 23 state championships including 19 in a row.
Michael Pruitt, Arab (Ala.), wrestling
Pruitt steps down after leading Arab
to eight traditional state championships and three dual meet state
championships. His team went 639-141-3 in dual meets with 32 individual
state champions.
Kenny Sanchez, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), football
After five seasons as head coach with the Gaels, Sanchez has stepped down "to pursue other opportunities," according to the
Las Vegas Sun. Sanchez coached Bishop Gorman to four straight state championships and two national championships.
Hugh Sandifer, Wylie (Abilene, Texas), football
Sandifer coached 34 seasons at Wylie and won 285 games and won a state championship in 2004.
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Tony Severino, Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.), football
The head coach at Rockhurst since 1983, Severino posted a record of 388-123 with seven state championships.
Ron Stolski, Brainerd (Minn.), football
After 58 seasons, Stolski steps down with 390 career wins, 183 losses and five ties.
Jim Tate, St. Paul's Episcopal (Mobile, Ala.), track and field
Tate coached 52 years, 42 of them at St. Paul's Episcopal. He won 102 state championships in track and field and cross country.
Dave Walker, Martinsburg (W.Va.), football
Walker is not retiring from
coaching, but he is leaving the high school ranks. He will be coaching
at Concord University next year. He guided Martinsburg to 56 straight
wins and has 304 career high school wins, the most in West Virginia
history.
