MAHANOY CITY - Ty Wartman felt the clock was ticking on his yearning to become a head varsity basketball coach.
It finally came to fruition at his alma mater as he takes over for a legend.
Wartman was appointed head boys' basketball coach at Mahanoy Area by the school board Thursday, succeeding Mickey Holland, who coached the Golden Bears for 33 seasons and compiled a 614-243 career record.
Wartman, a 2001 Mahanoy Area graduate, was a two-year starter at guard under Holland as the Golden Bears won a District 11 Class A title in 2001. After graduation, Wartman attempted to walk on to the men's basketball team at Bloomsburg University but didn't make it.
After graduating from Bloomsburg, Wartman was an assistant boys' coach at Pleasant Valley in 2005-06 and then returned to Mahanoy Area, where he was the freshman coach from 2006-08 and an assistant under Holland from 2008-11.
When Holland suffered a heart attack in January 2011, Wartman took over as head coach on an interim basis and went 4-4 over the Golden Bears' final eight games of the regular season. Holland returned for the District 11 playoffs.
Most recently, Wartman had been serving as an assistant coach at North Schuylkill under Curt Ziegmont since the 2011-12 season, and is a civics, American history and geography teacher at North Schuylkill.
"What people don't understand is how much love I have for this program, and I can't say enough how much love and respect I have for Coach Holland," Wartman said.
"I always wanted to be a head coach,'' he added. "The hard part is leaving the (players) who I grew so close to at North Schuylkill ⦠I love them. My first year of coaching at (Pleasant Valley) was in the junior high program. Even though I was only there for one year before getting my teaching job at North Schuylkill, it was tough leaving those kids."
"Thrilled," was the first word out of Holland's mouth when asked about his former player's hiring.
"Ty's coaching approach is a lot like mine," Holland said. "He will stress defense. I'm so thrilled that he is taking the job. I'll always be here for him. He knows that. He's going to be his own man and has to get his footprint (on the program)."
At first, Wartman did not apply to take the Golden Bears' job, even though he was being courted by Holland to be his successor. In late March, Wartman thought he'd stay with the Spartans with the hope of succeeding Curt Ziegmont, who just finished his 10th season with the Spartans.
"I sat down with Curt and we went over a few things," Wartman said.
"A few things" were about Wartman's future and about Ziegmont's coaching tenure.
"He's a great coach, who you obviously hate to lose," Ziegmont said. "When we talked and I said I was going to stay for a few more years, I told him he was crazy for not taking the job at Mahanoy Area."
Holland knew all along that Wartman was the perfect choice to lead the Mahanoy Area program.
"Over the years we've had discussions about him being the next coach," Holland said. "He's strict on discipline, he knows the game, and it was time for him to get the job. I was 90 percent sure that I was going to (retire) before this past season began. And I'd have talks with Ty about him taking over."
Wartman met with his players Friday and said it went very well.
"I know some of the players and some of the others I will get to know," Wartman said.
He will retain two of Holland's former assistant coaches on his staff, longtime assistant Scotty Hudson and seventh- and eighth-grade coach Bernie Forgotch.
Wartman relishes the challenge of taking over for Holland.
"I really think it's going to be easier than most people think," Wartman said. "I love this program and the tradition that it has is in my blood. You gotta realize Coach Holland is like a father figure to me and my brothers. He will always be there for me if I need advice."
Wartman said the approach in coaching styles will differ.
"We're not going to shoot as many 3s," he said with a laugh, yet with respect to the way Holland's teams always were 3-point sharpshooters. "We will look for more layups (on offense). We will continue to stress defense. You have to remember that you can control things on defense, unlike offense where the ball sometimes doesn't go in. We will come to play defense every single game. Defense is where our foundation will be built on."
That, too, was a staple of Holland's teams over the three-plus decades of coaching the Golden Bears. His influence upon Wartman is evident.
"Ty said to me after he was appointed he is ready to go," Holland said. "His team will play defense and he will work hard."
The Golden Bears went 25-3 in Holland's finale this past season, winning their first Schuylkill League title since 2006 and their second consecutive District 11 Class A title. Mahanoy Area reached the second round of the PIAA Tournament, losing to Church Farm 56-52.
The Golden Bears will lose four starters to graduation but should return a solid group. Point guard Jason Richmond will be the only returning starter, but Brian Miller and Matt Yedsena, two other players expected to be back, saw plenty of playing time this past season.
The junior varsity was also undefeated this past season.
(Republican-Herald staff writer Mike Carnahan contributed to this story.) Ty Wartman file
Age: 31
Residence: Ashland
Family: Wife, Melissa, and two children, Brynn and Drew
Occupation: Civics, American history and geography teacher at North Schuylkill
Prior coaching history: Assistant varsity boys' coach at Pleasant Valley (2005-06), freshman boys' head coach at Mahanoy Area (2006-08), assistant varsity boys' coach at Mahanoy Area (2008-11), assistant varsity boys' coach at North Schuylkill (2011-14). Also was interim boys' head coach at Mahanoy Area for final eight regular-season games of 2010-11 season, going 4-4.