Hornets' Whitesell decides to retire

Thirty-one years of coaching high school basketball was enough for Brenda Whitesell.

Whitesell has retired as Hinsdale South girls basketball coach. The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer informed Hornets athletic director Tim Feigh and her players of her decision at the end of this past school week.

"I pretty much decided going into this year that this would probably be it, but I didn't really want to announce it because I really wanted it to be about my senior group," Whitesell said.

"There really isn't any one reason. I know a lot of people will probably wonder why. It was just time. I wanted to assist in something else and kind of ease out so it's not just an abrupt ending when I retire (from teaching)."

Whitesell, 53, plans to teach for two more years in Hinsdale South's physical education department before retiring from teaching. She would like to be an assistant coach in another sport for the Hornets while she helps make the transition of a new girls basketball coach a smooth one.

Whitesell is looking forward to having more time for herself.

"Since I've been always coaching for 31 years I've never had a Thanksgiving or Christmas off so it'll be really good," she said. "But I'll still be willing to help out basketball in any way I can."

Whitesell's career coaching record in basketball stands at 544-301.

Whitesell started coaching in 1977 at Knox High School in Indiana where she went 44-30 in four seasons before coming to Hinsdale South in 1981. She coached the Hornets for 27 seasons, going 500-271 with 11 conference championships and 10 regional titles.

Whitesell is also a member of the Illinois Coaches Association Softball Hall of Fame. She coached the Hornets in softball from 1983 to 1997, compiling a 330-144 record.

Whitesell said the increased specialization found in high school sports wore on her in recent years. She'd start coaching kids as early as when they'd come to her camp in third grade only to see some kids stop playing basketball in high school.

"The last few years has been kind of hard with all of the kids specializing in sports," Whitesell said. "I've always had the attitude of play as many things in high school as you can, and I don't think that's always the case now in athletics. Whether it's club coaches or high school coaches putting pressure on kids, that's kind of soured me a little bit."

Whitesell said that she might get back into basketball at the college level, which was her original goal when she started coaching.

"I don't have any definite plans," she said.