Somerset — Mark Flynn took over the Pulaski County head basketball coaching position on Jan. 24, 2006, after legendary coach Dave Fraley stepped down in midseason.
Four years later, Mark Flynn stepped down from the Pulaski coaching position leaving behind some legendary accomplishments of his own.
On Tuesday, Flynn turned in his letter of resignation as the Maroons’ head basketball coach to Pulaski County High School principal Rob Bowers.
“Mark Flynn stepped down for personal and professional reasons,” Bowers said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more out of a coach than what he did for our basketball program. Not only was Mark a great coach and role model for our student athletes, but he was a true professional and represented our school in an outstanding manner.”
With less than four years on the job, Flynn amassed three consecutive district championships — a feat that has only happened once in the program’s history when Fraley won triple titles in 1984, 1985 and 1986. Flynn won his first district championship in 2006, while he was still an interim coach, which broke a 13-year district title drought for the program.
Flynn finished his varsity basketball coaching career with a 49-51 record. However, Flynn’s most notable accomplishment was an overall 6-1 record in post-season district tournament play. Flynn’s best season came in 2006-2007, when he guided the Maroons to a 21-10 record.
“Coaching basketball at Pulaski County High School has truly been a great experience for me,” Flynn said. “I have no regrets and I did my best to put our team in a position to win games.”
“I was fortunate to have coached a bunch of quality kids and I could only hope they had an equally rewarding experience while playing under me,” Flynn commented. “I had tremendous support from the school’s administration and the many great Maroon fans.”
Flynn told the Commonwealth Journal, in an interview on Wednesday, that his decision to step down was for more personal reasons.
“There was no negative underlying reasons for my resignation,” Flynn said. “I have two toddlers at home that demand a lot of my attention now.”
“I will continue to be the Maroons’ biggest supporter and I will continue to work at the school and help the students any way I can,” Flynn added.
Flynn’s resignation, coming just three days after the conclusion of the the high school basketball season, will give Bowers and his staff ample time to find a suitable new Pulaski boys basketball coach.
“Mark’s resignation was well planned and thought out beforehand, because now we will have plenty of time to post the opening and find the right candidate for the position,” Bowers commented. “With Mark Flynn’s integrity and character, I wouldn’t have expected anything less. Mark Flynn had the students, the school and the basketball program’s best interest at heart in his decision.”
Bowers said the job search has already begun and he feels confident the position will draw plenty of interest among the basketball coaching ranks.
“We will go through the normal process of posting the position and we will form a selection committee that will be spearheaded by our athletic director, Randy Elmore,” Bowers said.
Bowers explained the hiring committee will be made up of the athletic director, parents, the principal, student athletes currently involved in the program and staff members.
Flynn has had a longstanding history with the Pulaski County High School basketball program. He played for Dave Fraley from 1987 to 1990. He served as an assistant coach under Fraley from 2001 until 2006, at which time he took over as head coach.
“It was tough decision to leave the program after I had played and coached at Pulaski for so many years,” Flynn stated. “I really enjoyed the day-to-day practices and I was fortunate enough to be a part of three district championship teams. I was just as proud of this year’s team because they were a good team that had some tough losses — but they never gave up. Basketball is not always about winning or losing.”
Local Sports
Related Photos
-
Mark Flynn announced his resignation from the Pulaski County High School basketball head coaching position earlier this week. Flynn led the Maroons to three consecutive district championships in less than four years at the helm, and amassed an overall 6-1 district tournament record. Flynn cited personal reasons prompted his decision to step down as the Maroons’ boys basketball coach. Steve Cornelius Photo
Pulaski’s Mark Flynn resigns as boys basketball coach
- Local Sports
-
-
Trevor Herd signs with Union College
During his four years on the Somerset High School soccer team, Trevor Herd scored 50 goals and notched 13 assists. During his junior year, Herd scored 27 goals in 21 matches, which earned him Commonwealth Journal's All-County Player of the Year. Despite being riddled by injuries during his senior campaign, Herd still scored nine goals, had five assists, and was named to both All-District and All-Tournament Teams throughout his career.
And while Herd’s injuries were serious enough to end his future as a soccer player at the next level, the talented Somerset High School senior set his mind on continuing to play and recently signed to play at the next level for Union College. -
Lady Warriors win 7th straight crown
Since joining the 48th District, the Southwestern Lady Warriors have owned their tournament. In the first six seasons, one with Coach Derrick Harris and five under Jim Woodall, Southwestern had been 12-0 with six straight 48th District crowns—and they outscored their opponents 106-5 in the process.
-
Somerset grabs district crown from Pulaski
Early in the 2012 high school baseball season, the Somerset Briar Jumpers were having their fair share of struggles at the plate.
However, Phil Grundy’s club appears to be hitting its stride at the perfect time of the year. -
Lady Jumpers win back-to-back district titles
In 2011, the Somerset Lady Jumper softball team — who had won its first regional crown the year before in 2010 — brought home its first ever district title with a win in the finals over Pulaski County.
-
Warriors squeak out 5-4 win over McCreary
Heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, visiting McCreary Central had a slight edge over Southwestern, as they held a 4-3 lead over the homestanding Warriors.
But Alex Eaton’s Warriors would not let that slight edge affect them, as they plated a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame to grab a 5-4 victory in the opening round of the 48th District Baseball Tournament last night at Warrior Stadium. -
Impact of a state track meet
For most high school track athletes, the state championship is the grand finale to a to grueling high school track season or the cultivation of a long prep career filled with sweat, pain, nagging injuries and constant sore muscles.
-
An old friend and a new face
On Wednesday afternoon, Somerset High School announced their new basketball head coaches for the upcoming season.
-
A ‘Storm’ is heading to UK
Somerset High School’s WB Jones Auditorium was packed with ‘purple and gold’ clad students on Tuesday afternoon during their annual year-end award cermony.
-
Warriors top Pulaski in Scott McAninch Memorial
Over the past three weeks, not a single baseball team inside the 12th Region had been any hotter than the Southwestern Warriors or the Pulaski County Maroons.
-
Somerset track teams win Region, again
Both the Somerset High School boys and girls track teams claimed regional team titles late Saturday night in the Class A Region 6 Track and Field Championships at Somerset’s Joan Spurlock Track Complex.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
