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Batt steps down as NUHS girls’ basketball coach

By Jim Bastian

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — Brian Batt, who has been the head girls’ basketball coach at New Ulm High School for the past four seasons, resigned from that position on Tuesday.

Batt, who had a 54-32 record in his four years as head coach, including back-to-back 20-win seasons, felt that “it was time for a change.”

Batt, who replaced Dan Reinhart, said that he had never applied for the position when it came open.

“They did not have any candidates for the job at the time so I took it and I can say it was a great experience,” he said. “I have a lot of positive things to say about it. The job was on a year-by-year basis. And this year we struggled quite a bit (3-15) so I felt that maybe it was time for someone new to jump in.

“We had a nice run there for two years (going 40-13). Two years ago we were 11-14 and this season we were so young. We started three juniors, a sophomore and a freshman,” Batt said. “And we had another freshman who played quite a bit off of the bench — we had some eighth graders who played two halves of the B-squad game and then played a half of the varsity game. Our goal was to get those younger girls some experience and I think that they will be ready for the challenge next year. The B-squad went 16-1 this past year so there is talent coming up.”

Batt said that with his daughter Joey’s playing basketball at Minnesota State-Mankato, not coaching will allow him to see more of her games. “But I also have a couple of daughters coming up to. No longer coaching I will not get to spend quite as much time with them. So I will be going to a lot of their games too.”

Batt said that he loves the practices for basketball.

“I love working with the kids and there have been a couple of kids who have reached out to me and asked me if I would continue to work with them in the summer and I am looking forward to that,” he said. “I really like helping kids get better.”

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