Emert Resigns from Oxford.

Written Monday February 29th at 10:02 PM
Updated Tuesday March 1st at  10:30 AM

There will be a new coach leading at Oxford Girls Basketball team next season.

Wildcats Coach Steve Emert announced his resignation to his team after Oxford lost 36-26 to Waterford Mott on Monday afternoon at Orion.

"I did resign tonight. My papers are already in. It's a situation and I have someone in waiting to take over the program but it's up to the AD (Cole Andrews) and that process" Emert said to MIPrepZone.

Emert was talking about Rachel Bryer, his longtime assistant to possibly take over the Wildcats program.

He felt that Oxford was in need of a change not only for them but also for him personally. "They need a little bit different direction maybe than me. Plus I got eight grand-kids and my oldest granddaughter is a part time starter at Walled Lake Central. I got to go watch her play. Right now, I can't watch her play." 

Emert is a long time coach but he was very successful Walled Lake Central where he coached both Boys and Girls teams and also at Oakland Community College (1999-2001.) His best team was last season when they won the White crown at 16-5 which made them move to the Red this season.

Emert came to Oxford in 2011 and made an immediate impact the next season led by Miranda Murphy, Jessica Murphy, Jaynee Butikewictz, Skye Donaldson, Cherlyn Bandis among others.

The Wildcats this season lose Abby Butikewictz and Caitlin Wright from the team that finished the season 3-18 and 1-9 in the Red this season.

Emert was 59-36 in his five seasons at Oxford.

"But I had a great experience up here" Emert concluded to MIPrepzone.

A new coach hasn't been determined to replace Emert for next season but the new coach will have a very talented freshman class coming up along with players such as Madelyn Morris, Monae Evans, Jordyn Zyngier,  Kaitlyn Bean, Ashley Hershman, and Olivia Clark all returning.

We'll see what happens, stay tuned to OAA Now for this developing story.

Thoughts.

I thought personally that Emert would leave last season after their team won the White but the move to the Red he felt was unfair to his team but if you win the division then you got to move up, it's not the Kensington Lakes Athletic Association where they don't realign divisions but even that is in turmoil. "But if the OAA doesn't get us out of the Red Division. It's nuts that they (OAA) got us in the Red Division. It wasn't fair. All year long, we're banging with the big boys and it's tearing my girls apart. That's not right I thought the OAA is suppose to be for equality, that's not equally."

I think Rachel Bryer is ready to take over this team, she should had done it last season but Emert stayed on and coached the team. Oxford does have a good freshman class coming in next season. With the new division realignment coming, it is possible that the Wildcats could stay in the Red or move to the White. A move to the White looks like could be the move Oxford wants.