Printz agreed to join Stokes’ staff as an assistant coach with the Midwest Athletic Conference school. He will also teach health and physical education.
“I needed a change. I just needed an opportunity to challenge myself a little bit more,” said Printz, who guided the Cardinals to an 86-72 record and five playoff appearances in 15 seasons. “I’ve always wanted to coach in the MAC and see what that’s all about.”
Printz, whose coaching duties with the Wildcats are yet to be determined, led Triad to the program’s first playoff appearance in 2003. The Cardinals also qualified in 2006, 2012, 2013 and 2014 and have gone 3-5 in the postseason. Triad also won league titles in 2003 and 2013 under Printz.
“It’s an exciting time for me. It’s bittersweet,” Printz said. “People ask me how can you give up a head coaching job to be an assistant again? Coaching is coaching. I haven’t done a lot of it in the last six or eight years. I’ve been doing a lot of coaching of my coaches and even coordinating, I’ve turned a lot of that over to my coaches. It’s an opportunity to get my hands dirty again.”
Printz and Stokes coached together in 2014, when Printz was the head coach and Stokes his assistant for the Miami Valley Football Coaches Association All-Star game.
“He’s an excellent coach. He’s very gregarious. He gets after it,” Printz said. “I’m not going to be stepping on anybody’s toes. I’m going to go in there and do what Geron tells me to do. I’m going to try to help them win another state title, win the MAC and everything that goes with it.”
Printz, who also coached Triad’s track team for 13 years, averaged about 30 players on the roster the past five years. Minster had a little over 50 players when the Wildcats won the Division VI state title in 2014.
“I think (Triad) is in good hands,” Printz said. “They’re going to have around 30-35 kids again. The younger grades are tremendous. They are super kids, great athlete, great attitudes. I think they’ll be vying for playoff appearances again.”
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