New York Mills boys basketball coach Mike Adey is retiring after an illustrious 36-year career.
Adey, a Rome native who also coached at Rome Catholic and New Hartford, led the Marauders to state titles in 2011 and 2014, and retires as Section 3’s all-time leader in victories with 566.
Adey, 69, hasn’t had enough time to figure out exactly what’s next. However, whether it’s being involved in AAU, running clinics or helping coach his three young granddaughters, he will certainly stay involved in some capacity with the sport that has brought so much joy to his life.
“My journey has taken me through six decades of basketball and the many changes the game has seen,” Adey said. “But while the game has changed, my love for the game of basketball never has and never will falter. I only hope that I have left the game of basketball a little bit better than I found it all those years ago.
“While I am stepping away now, I will never really leave this great game and this great game will never leave me. I look forward to the next chapter in my basketball life.”
Adey played basketball at Rome Catholic then coached the Redwings beginning in 1975, winning two Section 3 titles and a regional crown. In 1984, Adey led the first team in RCH history to advance to the State Final Four, where they lost to eventual-champion Charlotte. He then coached at New Hartford for four seasons, helping the Spartans win two Tri Valley League titles.
Not many resumes can compare with the success Adey built during his coaching tenure. His resume includes:
-Section 3 record 566 victories
-Two New York State Class D Championships
-Six Regional Championships
-11 sectional titles (Class D record nine with New York Mills; two with RCH)
-22 league titles (12 with NY Mills, eight with RCH and two at New Hartford)
-Induction in the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame
During his 18-year tenure at New York Mills, Adey coached eight teams that won 20 or more games. During that same time period no school won more than 20 games three times.
Among the many outstanding players he coached at New York Mills, five of them became first-team all-state selections and he twice coached the New York State Class D Player of the Year (Fred Russ ’11 and Nick Comenale ’14). Adey’s 2011 team was the first New York Mills team to finish a season undefeated. He won 343 games at New York Mills and finished his career with an overall record of 566-200.
“For 36 years, at three different schools, I have had the honor and the privilege of coaching the best young men I could ever ask for,” Adey said. “I have also had the honor and pleasure of working with the most dedicated and talented staff of assistant coaches from the very beginning of my career. I thank all of them for their hard work and dedication through the years. I especially thank my son Brian, who for last 18 years, has been at my side as my trusted associate head coach. To be able to share this experience with him has been one of my greatest pleasures in coaching.
“As the years pass, I look back on all of those seasons, all of those teams, all of those players and all of those accomplishments with a sense of pride. But as in every game, there is a clock that is counting down, and mine has come to zero.”
Nick Sardina is a writer for midyorksportsreport.com. Follow Nick onTwitter @nsardinamysr or on Facebook. Contact him via email at [email protected]
