Baldwin basketball programs set for upheaval

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 9, 2018 | 11:00 PM

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There will be a new look to the Baldwin basketball scene in 2018-19.

Joe Urmann and Nikki Feathers recently submitted letters of resignation as their respective team's coaches.

Urmann, a 2002 graduate of Elk County Catholic, coached Baldwin for seven seasons, compiling 70-86 record with two WPIAL playoff appearances. He was named section coach of the year after the 2016-17 season.

“It was the right decision for me and my family at this time,” Urmann said. “I have a 2-year-old daughter, and we will be welcoming our second child in July. My wife works full-time and is pursuing an advanced degree. I don't have a lot of family around here to help. The time commitment and sacrifice needed to be a head coach and do this at a high level is immense. There really is no offseason. Being a teacher in a different district only makes matters worse and really stretched my time.”

The 33-year-old Urmann is a teacher in Mt. Lebanon School District and was an assistant basketball coach at Mt. Lebanon for four years before being hired at Baldwin in 2011.

“I've been coaching in this section for the past 11 years,” Urmann said. “My passion for coaching and love for the game of basketball is stronger than it has ever been. I am confident that I will be coaching again at some point.”

Until then, Urmann will miss it.

“I will miss the interaction and relationships with the kids,” he said. “Talking with them about basketball and some of the life lessons along the way was always rewarding for me.

“I'll miss the camaraderie of being part of something with a common purpose. I'll miss the practices and coaches meetings. And I'll miss the player skill development side of things. It all sounds corny, but it's true.”

Feathers, 30, is a 2006 Thomas Jefferson graduate who served as Baldwin's floor boss for three seasons, compiling a 26-37 record.

“I chose to step down from the varsity head coaching position for personal reasons,” she said. “I wish nothing but the best for the players and Baldwin girls basketball program in the future.”

Prior to her stint at Baldwin, Feathers, who was married last summer and whose maiden name is Presto, was girls basketball coach at Keystone Oaks for three seasons.

There, she posted a 43-30 record, including a 20-8 mark in 2011-12 when the Golden Eagles advanced to the WPIAL semifinals and PIAA first round.

Feathers, who also has coached at the junior varsity level at Thomas Jefferson and Baldwin, was a standout basketball player at TJ and Slippery Rock.

She was named the 2006 Daily News Player of the Year as a senior point guard at TJ, averaging 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals. She led the Jaguars to Section 5-AAA titles during her junior and senior seasons, earning all-section accolades both years, and with more than 1,000 career points ranks second all-time in scoring at her alma mater.

At Slippery Rock, Feathers started 82 games and played 2,418 minutes in four years, which ranked eighth all-time in school history at that time. She averaged eight points and three assists in her college career.

She did her student teaching in Raleigh, N.C., and is a physical education teacher in Baldwin-Whitehall School District at Whitehall and McAnnulty elementary schools.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Baldwin