Elledge steps away from the sidelines

After almost a quarter of century of service on the sidelines, longtime Highland basketball coach Matt Elledge has decided to retire.

Elledge turned in his resignation right before spring break started. He said the main reason was so he could focus more on family, notably his two sons. He will be be able to watch his youngest son, Highland High School senior Austin, play college basketball, while he will also have more time to visit his oldest son, who is attending the University of Wisconsin.

“It was a tough decision, but I want to watch Austin play in college, and I also will have more time to visit Aaron at Wisconsin when able,” Matt Elledge said. “It was a special group of seniors to go out with. Those kids have played together since fourth grade, and these eight seniors obviously had a tight bond, and it’s a neat group. I’ve been very fortunate to coach them, and I’m definitely going to miss them, as well as coaching next year.”

Austin Elledge will be committing very soon. He is leaning toward a Augustana College, a Division III powerhouse ranked No. 1 in the nation all year long. He is also considering Olivet Nazarene University.

Matt Elledge has coached for 24 years, 22 as a varsity coach (1993-2016). He has compiled an impressive 419-236 (64 percent) overall record at the varsity level. He spent the past 15 years coaching in the Highland School District, first 10 years with the girls program, one year with the middle school boys, and the last four years with the high school boys.

“Matt has won here at Highland, and before then at Pittsfield,” said Caleb Houchins, the first-year athletic director at Highland High School. “We hate to see him decide to stop coaching, but he has been at it a long time and is ready to spend time with his family. He will have two sons in college, and Austin will be playing basketball somewhere next year. It is tough to argue when Coach Elledge wants to spend more time with his family.”

Coach Elledge won 68 percent (201-100) of his games in a decade running the girls program, and directed the team to a super-sectional, along with winning six Mississippi Valley Championships, six regional crowns and the one sectional championship. He was named the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) Coach of the Year on two occasions, after the 2008 and 2009 campaigns.

During his four-year tenure with the HHS boys program, he also posted a winning record and won three conference championships. This year, the team went 10-0 in conference play.

In his one year coaching at Highland Middle School, his team had a 21-4 record, which culminated in the program winning its first-ever Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association Class L State Championship.

Houchins said the HHS boys’ head coaching position has been posted and they will be interviewing candidates in the upcoming weeks.

“We look forward to hiring someone that will continue the culture of winning and strengthen the program here at Highland High School,” he said.

This story was originally published March 29, 2016 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Elledge steps away from the sidelines."