SYMMES TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy announced Friday afternoon the hiring of Scott Rooks as its new head boys basketball coach.
Rooks succeeds Brian Lawhon, who was named the Little Miami boys basketball coach in late March.
CHCA had a 23-3 record this winter and captured the program's first district title. The Eagles also won a Miami Valley Conference title this winter.
Rooks, a special education teacher at Lakota West, served as the assistant varsity coach for the Eagles the past two seasons.
"I will never forget my very first open gym there," Rooks told WCPO. "Every single kid came up to me, looked me right in the eyes, shook my hand and said, 'Thank you very much, Coach. What can I do better?' That was just mind-blowing."
Rooks said he was looking forward to an opportunity to go through the interview process when Lawhon left the program.
The Eagles had a 39-8 record the past two seasons including a 21-game win streak last season.
"I want to truly build this into a kindergarten through (12th grade) program," Rooks said. "That's my main focus - to make sure every single level has a varsity presence down there. They know they are important; they know they are loved and we want them around. That's the biggest thing."
Before joining CHCA, Rooks spent four seasons at Lakota West as a varsity assistant coach. Prior to that, he served eight seasons as part of the Sycamore coaching staff, winning the Greater Miami Conference championship with other programs during the 2012-2013 season.
“We are thrilled to announce the hiring of Scott Rooks as our next head varsity basketball coach and program builder at CHCA,” CHCA athletic director Eric Taylor said.
"Coach Rooks’ energy and ability to build rapport with players is exceptional. He is committed to fueling our culture of excellence by focusing on our athletes’ spiritual, mental, and physical growth. His program’s principles are designed to impact the entire CHCA basketball program from the elementary years on up through high school.”
Rooks, 35, has an excellent basketball pedigree. His father, Ron Rooks, was a basketball legend at Mount Healthy High School and went on to play for the University of Louisville.
Ron Rooks also coached high school basketball for many years and was inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame and the Mount Healthy High School Hall of Fame.
Matt Rooks, Scott's elder brother, is the Wyoming head varsity boys basketball coach.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank God, our Lord and Savior, for providing and preparing me for this opportunity," Scott Rooks said in a statement.
"I would also like to thank the CHCA administration for trusting me with the awesome responsibility of guiding these young men. I am humbled to continue as a member of this special school and community. I am fortunate to be surrounded by such wonderful people, with whom I have built great relationships. I will continue molding these young men as they work to achieve their fullest potential on the court, in the classroom, and as men of God."
Rooks resides in Symmes Township with his 10-year-old son, Danny, who is following the family tradition as an aspiring basketball player.
