UNION CITY, Ind. – After 14 years as the Union City varsity girls basketball head coach, Sarah Black made a tough decision to step down to allow more time with her family.
“Many people talk about the impact that I have made and how I have helped them, but what isn’t talked about a lot is everything that basketball and the people involved in it have done for me,” Coach Black said. “Basketball has been a season every year of my life since 5th grade… I truly believe it has played a tremendous role in my life, who I am and the path I am on… I will forever be indebted to the game and no matter what I do, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay all it did for me.”
Coach Black ended her coaching career at UC with a winning record of 182-144. She took the Lady Indians varsity coaching position in 2011, but began her coaching career in 2004 at Jay County High School, then at Winchester High School.
When she became the coach at Union City, Sarah knew that was where she belonged. She attended Union City High School and set several records during her time as a Lady Indian player.
Her days of playing varsity basketball under Coach Kirk Comer, whom she considers one of the biggest mentors as a player and later as a coach.
As a player, Black set and still holds the school career record for three-point percentage at 37 percent, but her passion for coaching and the bond with her teams, assistant coaches and everyone that comes out to cheer on the Lady Indians eclipsed her personal playing successes.
“The relationships (with everyone, not just players) that were fostered during basketball are relationships that continue beyond the game. These are my people and I love them and I am so honored to have been a small part of their lives and will forever be blessed for all they have taught and given me,” Coach Black emotionally added.
When asked about some of her most memorable moments as the head coach of the Lady Indians, Black named off quite a few…
“Obviously, going to the state finals in 2017 was an amazing experience and memory,” she said right away.
Coach Black led her Lady Indians to the IHSAA Class 1A State Finals, which was the first time a team from Randolph County advanced to a state championship. Unfortunately, the team came up short of the title, but were the State Runner-Up, which also made history for the school.
Other memorable moments Coach Black reflected on were the team-bonding events like Kings Island, team lock-ins, secret families/angel tree shopping, Scene 75, etc.
Some others occurred after players had already graduated.
“Tynlee (Coach Black’s youngest daughter) was asked to be the flower girl in two former players’ weddings (Kora Jefferis and Mackenzie Abel). I have been invited to multiple weddings and baby showers and I love being a part of these girls’ lives beyond basketball,” she said with a smile.”
“Something else that is memorable is the culture that the players, coaches, managers, staff and community created in this program over the last 14 years. The program has become one that other schools and basketball programs respect. There would often be many kind and respectful words spoken about our teams and the girls. We were a team that was used to set the bar in many places and I think that is something for the entire community to be proud of because it took a village,” she added.
“Lastly, being honored as the most impactful person on a student’s career (top 10 get to select a person each year) from 7 different players,” Coach proudly mentioned.
“I was blessed to coach 4 of the 6 girls who scored 1,000 points in their career (including the highest career points for both boys and girls). I was around to coach girls that now hold records for: the most points scored in a game, season and career; The most three pointers hit in a game, season and career; The most rebounds in a game, season and career; The most assists in a game, season and career; The most steals in a game, season and career; The most blocks in a game, season and career,” Coach Black humbly said.
When asked the reason she has decided to step down, Coach Black had this to say…
“The short answer is I want to be there for my family more. I don’t want to miss the memories and events that mean a lot to my kids and husband. I want to be a part of those. They have made some significant sacrifices so that I can pursue my passion and dream of coaching basketball and hopefully making a positive impact on the people who come through the program,” she explained.
Click here to read this heartfelt explanation she recently posted on Facebook
She confirmed that she will still be working for Randolph Eastern School District as a Work-Based Learning Coordinator and a Career Coach. She will also still be teaching Government and Economics.
Coach Black meant a lot of things to many of her players and even though they have graduated, some have gotten married, have families of their own and careers, all of them still remember how she helped inspire and guide them for not just playing basketball, but getting prepared for life after high school.
In honor of Coach Black, some of her former players from the 2017 “Dream Team” and one player who holds the most school records wanted her to know how she inspired them to become the best version of themselves today. These are for you Sarah…
Baylee Hartman
“Coach Black not only made me a better basketball player, but she also changed my life in so many ways. I will forever be grateful that I got the opportunity to have her as a mentor, role model, and coach all in one person. Not only did she make us better players, but she cared deeply about each of us and making us better people.”
“Coach Black was someone I could always turn to. She wasn’t just there for us on the court but off of it as well. She taught me how to be strong and keep pushing, no matter how bad I struggled. No matter the time or day, she was there when I needed her. She will forever hold a special place in my heart for helping shape me into the woman and mother I am today. She left her mark not only on the game of basketball in Union City, but in every girl who got the opportunity to play under her.”
“Everything she has taught, said, and done will stay with me forever. She has touched so many lives and I know that no matter what she is doing or where she is at she will continue to do so. At the time, I never knew that a young girl like me who loved the game would build a lifelong friendship with such an amazing woman like her.“
Courtney (Wise) Armstrong
“Coach Black has always been more than a basketball coach. She’s someone who taught us leadership, resilience & has helped mold us into the women we are today. She gave us so much of her time, energy and poured her heart into each of us.”
“As our coach, she spent more hours with us in high school than our own parents did. She didn’t just build a team—she built a family. The bond we created with each other is something that will always be cherished.”
“A coach’s impact lasts a lifetime & I feel very lucky to have had Coach Black’s influence on my life through many important years and many more to come!”
Kelsey Zimmers
“She is one of the most inspiring people you’ll ever meet. She loves her family & friends the same way she loves her students & players. She puts the same effort into every person around her, stranger or not.”
“From losing games to making it to state, her character didn’t change once. She loves her people and the game so deeply. The high school girls basketball team is losing a legacy – one of the best you’ll find in the business. But I know our school & community will continue to benefit. I can’t wait to see the skills that Tynlee will bring to the table in a few years with all this extra time her mom has now!”
Justiss Cantu
“I still call her coach. Even as we’re colleagues and as we work side by side, I call her Coach. She helped shape me into the person I am today and she’s a person I always know I can count on. When I was a knucklehead teenager, she helped guide me and picked me up when I fell. Now that I’m an adult, I know she would do the same thing and is a person I can count on. I consider her a friend, but she will always be Coach.”
Kora (Kerns) Jefferis
“Coach Black wasn’t just a phenomenal coach – she was a mentor, a role model, and a friend. The passion she had for the game was evident every single day, both on and off the court. Her practices were tough – she pushed us as far as we could go and demanded nothing less than excellence.”
“Her success wasn’t just measured in wins and the hardware she brought to Union City, but in the lasting impact she made on all of us. Off the court is where she truly set herself apart. In the difficult times of my life, she was there offering support and encouragement – and I know countless others can say the same.”
“With Coach Black, once you’re part of her family, you’re always part of her family.”
Ellie Kerns
“With some people, it’s hard to put into words what they really mean to you. Sarah has been my coach, my mentor, and has turned into one of my closest friends. She was always there pushing us to be the best we could be on and off the court. I am extremely thankful that I was able to play under her, learn from her and look up to her.”
Mackenzie (Green) Abel
“My name is Mackenzie Abel, and I am a 2020 graduate from Union City Junior Senior High School and a proud former Lady Indian basketball player. If you know me, Basketball is one of my favorite things ever and of course, Coach Black made me love it even more. One of my first encounters with Coach Black was when I was in the eighth grade and she asked me if I wanted to go to D1, a high school summer basketball camp with the high school team.”
“At the time, I was so confused about why the varsity head coach would want to ask a little old eighth grader to join their high school team camp, but now that I’m older, I can think about how much Coach Black thought of me and how much she believed in me. This was the start of a great relationship.”
“Fast-forward to my freshman year, this was the DREAM team, the school year of 2016-2017. Our basketball team was unstoppable and we did things that no one else thought we could do. We went to the State Finals, and we couldn’t have done this without the amazing Coach Sarah Black’s guidance. Coach taught us so much about the game of basketball, but also about the game of life. There was never a time when you ever had to question if Coach Black was going to be there for you.”
“One of my favorite things that Coach Black would do was a quote of the day at the end of practice. These quotes shared many life lessons and help you think about how you could be a better player or a better person. After each, Coach Black would share and talk about what she thought of it and how we could incorporate this into our lives. She truly loved all of her players. I am thankful for my high school years with Coach Black. She helped teach me mental toughness, perseverance, confidence, and dedication.”
“While Coach and I do not see each other on a daily basis, she is always on my mind, as I am a Registered Nurse now, many of the qualities that make me who I am have been helped form by her and her guidance. She has truly changed my life. She is family to me!”
“We have been able to share so many memories together, one of them being her asking me to coach. Following High School graduation, I received a phone call from Coach Black and she asked me if I wanted to come back and coach for the Junior High Girls basketball program at Union City. Of course, I was humbled and so excited that I was asked to be a part of her coaching staff. This was always a dream of mine to coach basketball and, most importantly, be a part of Coach Black’s team again. I happily accepted this position in 2021 and I have loved it ever since!”
“Many of the great qualities that Coach Black showed me growing up, I have used in my own coaching style to help the younger generation love the game of basketball just as much as I did when I was their age. I have continued the quotes of the day as they were and continue to be so special to me that I feel it is so important to carry that on. Life goes by so fast and I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of Coach Black’s coaching story here at Union City. She deserves all the praise, she put in so many hours of dedication and sacrifice away from her family to be with us and she deserves that time now with her family. I am so happy for her.”
“Coach Black, you truly are the best coach I have ever had. Thank you for changing my life and being such a wonderful person you are.”
Mariah Claywell
“I played for Coach Black’s varsity basketball team for 4 years, and I continue to play college basketball today at Bethel University. Coach Black taught me discipline and poise on the court. She showed me what hard work truly means and prepared me for higher-level basketball. Not only that, but she brought back my love for the game.”
“I appreciate all of the time and effort Coach Black put into the Union City girls basketball program, and I am forever proud to be a Lady Indian!”
