Tom Heithoff was moving his way up to the top assistant spot on the Omaha Gross boys basketball program when he received a call one day.

The voice on the other end was that of Father Jim Kiernan, then the religion teacher at St. Albert. There was a position open as head coach of the girls basketball team at the school, and Kiernan wanted Heithoff to take it.

"I figured I couldn't say no to him," Heithoff joked. "So, I went over to St. Albert, and I decided to take the job."

That was in 1987.

Nineteen years later, Heithoff has decided to hang up his whistle after turning the St. Albert girls basketball program around and taking it to new heights.

Not too many people took girls basketball seriously at the school back when Heithoff took the reins, but that quickly changed. He retires with 279 wins, five state tournament appearances - including a Class 2A runner-up showing in 2000 - 11 consecutive district championships from 1992-2002 and five straight 20-win seasons from 1997-2001.

Heithoff added that Pat Kroll played a large part in St. Albert's success, serving as an assistant from his first year in 1987 all the way through 2000.

Heithoff will still teach at St. Albert and continue his golf and assistant softball coaching duties, but will be gone from the sidelines this winter for the first time in nearly two decades.

"It was a great ride, and I enjoyed every minute of it," Heithoff said. "I still love the kids at St. Albert - it's a special place - but it feels like a good time to say it's enough.

"There wasn't anything left that I felt I had a burning desire to accomplish. I thought I had done enough."

The 52-year old Heithoff added he wasn't ruling out a return to head coaching in the future, but was looking forward to just being a fan next season.

Heithoff has been coaching basketball in one form or another since he was an assistant on his parish team at the age of 17. He took over as head coach for that squad the following year, and coached eighth grade boys basketball at St. Albert when he was in college.

From 1977-81, he was a coach at Assumption grade school in Omaha and was an assistant at Gross from 1981-87 before returning to St. Albert.

"There's going to be some things I'll miss, and there's some things I've done so many times over and over that I can see myself doing them when I close my eyes," Heithoff said. "But, at the same time, there's a lot of things that I miss already. Every year you miss the kids that graduate."

Among the many highlights of Heithoff's coaching days, two of the most memorable for him were being able to direct his daughters, Katie and Annie, both of whom were two-time Daily Nonpareil City Players of the Year.

"You can fake it all you want, but that was pretty special," Heithoff said. "Not only being able to coach them, but their friends were in my life too because they hung around together, and you get close to those groups."

He considered retiring after Annie graduated in 1997 and once again around three years ago, but chose to stay during what has been a rebuilding phase for the program.

"I knew we needed some tough rebuilding, and I didn't like the thought of leaving then," Heithoff said. "I figured it was better for me as an old coach to stick around, and now they'll have a fresh voice to lead them. I think these kids need new energy to get to the level they want to get to."

Despite handing over his basketball duties, Heithoff should be plenty busy in the near future, including taking a new title as grandpa. Annie is expecting a baby in July, and Katie is getting married the same month.

"I want to thank all the St. Albert parents and players, who over the years have really become my friends. I loved working with them," Heithoff said. "And I have to thank my wife (Joyce) too, she's done a lot for a lot of years."

Ryan Weatherill - Daily Nonpareil - 04.15.06