Randy Mazey opens up on end of coaching career: 'These 12 years have been unbelievable'
West Virginia‘s season came to an end on Saturday in the Chapel Hill Super Regional and with it the career of long-time coach Randy Mazey. Mazey had previously announced he would retire after the 2024 season.
It was a sad send-off for Mazey, who was emotional in his post-game press conference thanks to how much the West Virginia community meant to him.
“I grew up, my daddy was a coal miner and we’re in a coal-mining state. That’s my background,” Mazey said. “I just really, really love the people of West Virginia. Blue-collar, hard-working. That’s how we built this program, on playing with a chip on our shoulder and being the underdog. We were again, and we thrive in that atmosphere.”
West Virginia wasn’t expected to advance from the Chapel Hill Super Regional. The No. 4 seed overall, North Carolina had a more complete team from top to bottom.
Still, the Mountaineers made it a tremendous fight in both games.
That was right in line with what Randy Mazey would have expected out of his program after years building the culture.
“I’d much rather coach a program that’s an underdog than I would that’s a favorite, because it’s so much fun,” Mazey said. “These 12 years have been unbelievable. I told the guys going into the season don’t try and put statistical goals on yourself. Don’t try and hit .300 or win 10 games. Your goal should be every year to exceed expectations. And we’ve done that, so that’s why they should be proud.”
Randy Mazey reflects on his career
Mazey began his career as a graduate assistant at Clemson in 1990 before moving up the ranks and taking several other positions.
His first head coaching job came at East Carolina in 2003. He’d spend three years there as the head coach. His next head coaching opportunity came in Morgantown.
He spent 12 years there and did a job he feels proud of.
“Personally a lot of people say the old cliche leave something better than you found it,” Randy Mazey said. “And I can feel good moving on in my career that we have 1.8 million people in the state of West Virginia that are proud of this program. And I wouldn’t, in any way, shape or form, take credit for that. I’m smart enough to surround myself with good people, and that’s been the secret sauce. It’s been people.”
Choked up, Mazey went on to speak about his post-retirement life and left fans with a general message about what’s important in life.
“I’m an emotional guy, you may see my daughter crying like a baby back there,” Mazey said. “I think she’s crying because now I have to spend a lot more time with her. But yeah, I told the guys out there, in 35 years of coaching that’s the team I want to end my career with, the guys that were in that huddle. I love every one of them. And I think they know that.
“The way we coach is I don’t care if you don’t get hits. I don’t care if you don’t throw strikes. I’m not going to love you any less. When kids feel that way, that enables them to play with some freedom and have some fun. So all you Little League parents out there, Little League coaches, love your kids whether they get hits or not because it’s important to them to know that the people in their lives love them more as people than they love them as players. I sure love every one of these guys.”