Hilldale boys basketball coach announces retirement

Mar. 14—Hilldale boys basketball coach Gary Hendrix announced his retirement from coaching Thursday.

The 66-year-old hall of fame coach, who directed the Hilldale boys basketball team for the past two seasons, said it is just time to call it a career.

"My age has a lot to do with that," Hendrix said. "My mother and dad are both still alive — my dad's 95 and my mom's 92 — and I probably need to be spending a little more time with them. My dad has some rental properties that I'm probably going to be helping to maintain and upkeep."

Hendrix took over the boys program in 2022 and this season, the Hornets finished 14-11, bowing out of the postseason in the Class 4A Area IV region consolation finals.

"I've been really blessed in my coaching career," Hendrix said. "I also looked at we have a lot of kids coming back here at Hilldale — four returning starters and several guys that played a lot. So I think as far as leaving the next coach with a chance to be successful, that entered into my decision also."

Before taking the reins at Hilldale in 2022, Hendrix was at Fort Gibson, Canadian and Pryor, most of those years at Fort Gibson from 1986-98 and 2005-17. His Fort Gibson years produced back to back finals teams in 2016 and 2017, but he did get state championship teams there in boys and girls golf.

Another factor that figured into Hendrix's decision is the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association changing the transfer eligibility. High school student athletes are now allowed one free transfer to another school without having to sit out a year or physically move to the district and that's something that Hendrix said he's not ready to tackle.

"I kind of don't want to deal with that," he said. "That's another factor that played into my decision of getting out. I hate that for high school.

Hendrix finishes his career with 716 wins which includes a state basketball championship with Mounds in 1985.

"I worked for some really great people in my career," he said. "Here, Fort Gibson, Canadian, Pryor and Mounds. I've been around a lot of great people and had a chance to meet some really great educators."

Hilldale Athletic Director Chad Kirkhart, who played point guard for Hendrix at Fort Gibson, said applications are being accepted to fill the position.