The Park Hill boys basketball program will be under new leadership next season after head coach Chad Jones announced that he was stepping aside.
Park Hill will head in a new direction for the first time in a decade. Jones led the Trojans to a win-loss record of .500 or better in eight of his 10 years in charge, coming off a 19-9 season in perhaps the toughest conference in the state.
"After 23 years of being a head basketball coach and 27 years coaching high school basketball, it is time to take a break," Jones said in a statement posted to social media on April 4. "I'm so thankful for everyone that has been involved in my journey. Thank you to Park Hill and Smithville for giving me the opportunity to do what I have loved. Thank you to the players and coaches for all the great memories. Finally thank you to my family for always being my rock."
Jones assumed Park Hill's head coaching position after 13 seasons with Smithville, including a pair of district titles in 2005 and 2006. Taking over for David Garrison in 2015, Jones led Park Hill to back-to-back district championships in 2017 and 2018, helping the Trojans to amass a record of 150-108 across 10 seasons.
The Park Hill alum departs alongside his son, Cam Jones, who was an all-district and all-conference star this year as a senior. The elder Jones leaves the program for a second time, previously doing so after a standout career playing for the Trojans in the 1990s.
Park Hill will fill his role, possibly looking to current assistants including Chad Wright or veteran Fred Turner.
In Jones' absence, Wright took the helm for the district quarterfinal earlier this year, guiding the Trojans to a 60-50 come-from-behind victory against Liberty on March 5. Jones returned to the sideline for Park Hill's district semifinal defeat to Oak Park, which was Jones' last game.
Wright previously spent 12 years with St. Pius X, taking them to the Class 3 state championship game. He later served as head coach at William Chrisman and Excelsior Springs before joining Jones' staff at Park Hill.