By Scott Allen
The Scene staff
He’s brought home three state championships, sent players to NCAA teams and another of his boys is expected to be drafted this year into the NBA.
Randy Reed left McCluer North High School this year to take over the St. Louis Community College Archers men’s basketball program.
“It was a difficult decision, but I felt that I had accomplished everything in high school basketball I could,” Reed said. “It was just time for me to try something new.”
A Forest Park alum himself, the decorated high school coach will fill the vacancy left by Randy Albrecht. In his 36-year STLCC coaching career, Albrecht racked up more than 730 victories for the Archers and the former Meramec Magic.
Albrecht retired in May, citing health reasons for his departure from a career that included a 20-12 record and an eighth-place national ranking last season.
”The thing that I’m probably most proud of is the 28 consecutive winning seasons,” Albrecht said in a May press release. “I think that speaks of having a program that is consistently competitive.”
“We’re very sad to see him go,” said Sharon Marquardt, the college’s athletic coordinator. “He is a great leader.”
Reed, 52, who played for Albrecht’s predecessor, Bob Nelson, in the 1970s, recognized the challenge he’ll face in taking over the Archers program. Reed described Albrecht —a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association and Missouri Basketball Coaches halls of fame — as an “icon.”
Marquardt explained that Albrecht not only built a stellar coaching career, he was instrumental in consolidating athletic teams on three campuses (Forest Park, Meramec and Florissant Valley) to a district-wide program.
Albrecht was heavily involved in hiring his replacement, demonstrating his interest in continuing the success of Archers basketball. The decision to pick Reed, however, wasn’t a complicated one.
“He has the background that makes him the full experience for the basketball program,” Marquardt said.
Prior to coaching, Reed played for the Forest Park Highlanders for two years and was named an All-American. He then joined the Kansas State University Wildcats, where he scored 842 career points and made it to the Elite Eight in the 1981 NCAA Tournament.
In 1982, he was drafted to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the seventh round before playing for eight years in the European pro league.
Reed joined the McCluer staff in 1997, teaching and coaching the Stars boys’ basketball team. He is particularly proud of his career shaping the talent of high school athletes.
“In the last 10 years, we’ve created one of the top sports programs in the state,” said Reed, pointing to McCluer state championships earned in 2007, 2011 and 2012. “We were back-to-back champions. We were nationally ranked in USA Today.”
One of his players, BJ Young, went on to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks and entered the NBA draft last month.
Those accomplishments, combined with encouragement from his wife, Frances — affectionately known as the “First Lady” by Reed’s players — led him to pursue the Archers head coach job.
Bruce Smith, athletic director at McCluer. said Reed will be missed. The coach is staying on as a social studies teacher at the school despite leaving the basketball program.
“He’s taken teams that at times didn’t have the most talent and made the most out of them,” Smith said. “Knowing the success he’s had and knowing his work effort, I think he’ll be very successful at the college level.”
Adding to Reed’s appeal, said Marquardt, is his ability to recruit from the St. Louis-area talent pool. The new Archers coach explained that power comes from a rapport he’s built with area coaches and players.
“I have grown to have a respect for them, and they have a respect for me,” Reed said. “It’s very easy for me to call a high school coach and have a good conversation about high school players. They know me and they trust me to guide their kids in the right direction.”
As for his strategy in his first Archers season, Reed said he’ll put education and player eligibility first.
“I want to run a disciplined program with quality young men that’s education first and winning second,” he said.
In the end, he said, it’s not about winning or losing.
“It’s about seeing that smile on their faces because we’ve achieved something together. It promotes bonding between young men, but I just love watching them win and being happy.”