After compiling a 70-32 record over 10 seasons at Wichita Northwest and annually taking his teams to the postseason, Weston Schartz's choice to return to Wichita West might be a head-scratcher...on the surface at least.
"Some people think I'm crazy, but that's okay," Schartz said.
Before making the move to Northwest, Schartz coached the Pioneers from 1987 through 2001.
"I cannot wait to get back there," Schartz said on Wednesday following a signing day ceremony at Northwest. "Maybe we can improve upon what's happened in the past, but I'm very excited about that. I've got 10 more years to coach and I'm looking forward to it."
Schartz posted a record of 84-49 with the Pioneers, including a trip to the state finals in 1997, where they lost to Olathe North, who scored in the last minute to win 27-26.
"I spent 18 years there," Schartz said of his first stint at West. "It's a great place, as well as Northwest is. It's just an opportunity to maybe go rebuild the program to what it once was."
The struggles West has endured in the last few years was added motivation for Schartz to return to the program. In the last five years, West has slipped to the bottom of the league, posting a 6-39 record during that span.
"My heart told me it's the thing to do," Schartz said. "It would be very easy to stay here and win seven, eight or nine games a year, but it's an opportunity to go to a program that's really been down and improve on it."
