'It’s time to go': Coyle's Tom Webb set to retire after 47 years coaching Oklahoma high school basketball

Tom Webb knew something was different about the 2022 basketball season.

“My heart really wasn’t in it this year,” Webb said.

The Coyle coach led his girls to the regional tournament and another winning season. But at the end of the final game, he knew he didn’t have the spark to bounce back for another year.

“I did a good job I thought, and we were pretty good,” Webb said. “But my heart just wasn’t in it all the time, and it’s time to go when you’re not dedicating all your time to what you love to do."

Webb, 72, will retire from coaching and teaching at the conclusion of the school year. His girls basketball coaching career spanned over 47 years, which included 549 wins combined at more than 10 different Oklahoma high schools.

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“I missed out on a lot of stuff that my own kids did,” Webb said. “And now I’m missing out on a lot of the stuff that my grandkids did. Because when I’m doing basketball that’s all I’m thinking about.

“And I don’t feel like I’ve got a whole bunch of years left, and I’d just like to do some other stuff.”

After graduating from Oklahoma Baptist University, Webb found a job at Chattanooga High School as the boys basketball coach. He spent one year there before moving on to Wayne, where he coached boys and girls basketball in 1974-75.

From there, his real journey began as his career moved him to Helena-Goltry (now Timberlake), Alva, Boise City, Stillwater, Guymon, Lomega, Wagoner, Binger-Oney, Paden and Coyle — where he’s been the last 13 years as a girls basketball coach.

Before arriving at Coyle, his former player, Janet Marks, who was the Coyle elementary coach gave her players a message about their new coach.

"My coach is coming to coach you guys," she said, "and if you do what he says, you’ll go to the state tournament."

Webb added, "They bought into that."

Webb put together his most successful tenure as a coach at Coyle, advancing to the area tournament in seven of his 13 seasons. The Bluejackets won the area championship twice and finished as state runner-up in each of those seasons.

More: Meet The Oklahoman's 2022 Class 6A-5A All-Tournament boys & girls basketball teams

“Coyle is probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me as far as the parents and the kids and the school,” Webb said. “Once you find a place where you can stick, that’s what I’ve wanted to do all those years."

After spending most of his time in smaller populated schools, Webb has become a man of many skills and qualifications. As an educator, he’s certified in seven subjects and oftentimes taught a different subject each school year. And his coaching career spans beyond basketball. He’s also coached track, baseball, softball and football.

Track is where he's found the most success. He's has coached 15 different runners to individual state championships and a team state runner-up in 2015. Webb recalls the 2015 season as his most memorable year as a coach of any sport. It's one he'll never forget because it was the furthest Coyle had advanced as a team and the weird story that followed.

"I just loved watching those kids run," Webb said, "and so we had already packed up our camp and went to the bus and we heard over the PA, it said, 'The state runner-up is Coyle girls.' And I went, 'Oh crap! We're on the bus!'"

In retirement, Webb hopes to spend more time with his family. But he won't forget the memorable moments as a coach.

“Eventually, hopefully, a guy can find a place like I found (at Coyle) and they just love you and you love them," Webb said. "And it all works out to where you finally enjoy what you do every day.”

More: Meet The Oklahoman's 2022 Class 4A-2A All-Tournament boys & girls basketball teams

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Longtime Oklahoma HS basketball coach Tom Webb of Coyle set to retire