Kenmore West Boys Basketball Coach Mike Meetze to Step Down After Eleven Years

Roughly 20 years ago, Mike Meetze applied for the Kenmore West Blue Devils varsity boys basketball head coaching job. The Buffalo native was currently coaching out in Oswego, NY at the time the job was posted. He was passed over.

What transpired next humbled Meetze. “I received a call from Coach (Mike) Licata and he talked me into accepting the girls junior varsity basketball head coaching job,” Meetze said. “I was taken back a bit, I didn’t know if I could coach girls; I was a men’s coach. It really humbled me but I took it.”

Meetze would coach the girls junior varsity team the next six years before switching over to coaching boys. He worked with then head coach Jim Badgley whom Meetze was passed over for. Ultimately, Badgley stepped down for family reasons.

Eleven years later that’s why Meetze will be walking away. “Both Jim and Mike have said that you don’t want to miss your kids growing up. I have three children and they are all active, playing basketball. My two daughters and son need me…it’s time.”

Like Badgley, Meetze is not closing the door on a possible return down the road. “I absolutely will miss this and will want to get back when my kids are grown up. But I know that right now I am leaving this team in a good place as well. There is a lot of talent coming back, the program will be left in good hands.”

During Meetze’s time at Kenmore West the Blue Devils have won three Niagara Frontier League titles and earned two trips to Buffalo State for chances at sectional titles. Accomplishments outside of the season include a successful basketball camp during the summer open to grammar and middle-school aged hoopsters. “I’ll still be around for the camp, that’s always been very important to me and it’s a way to attract future Blue Devils.”

Meetze is most proud of the relationships he built over the last 19 seasons he has been at Kenmore West. “Seeing former players becoming successful away from the game is what I’m going to be most proud of. There are a number of guys that are now coaching as well and hopefully not too far away from leading a program themselves.”

On Saturday Kenmore West will find out who they will open up against in the 2020 sectional tournament. The Blue Devils went 10-10 during the regular season and have won 2 out of their last 3 games.