Moss tapped to restore 'Middle Magic' as new coach
Moss is first Middies boys basketball coach born, raised in Middletown.
After seven consecutive losing seasons under two Dayton-area coaches, Middletown High School is hoping an alumni can return the boys basketball program to its glory days.
Kelven Moss, a 2001 Middletown graduate, believes he’s ready to lead the boys basketball team at his alma mater.
He was approved Monday night by the school board to serve as the head coach of one of the highest profile positions in the district.
“I’m the definition of someone who truly bleeds purple,” Moss said after the meeting. “I want the pressure of bringing the new version of the ‘Middie Magic’ back.”
Middletown boys basketball hasn’t had a winning season since the Middies went 19-7 in 2013-14, according to Greater Miami Conference records.Between 1944 to 1957 Middletown won seven state basketball titles but hasn’t advanced to the Final 4 since 1982-83.
Darnell Hoskins, who coached the Middies to a 38-77 record during his five seasons, didn’t have his contract renewed after last season.
Moss, 37, said when the Middie job opened previously he wasn’t ready. But after two seasons as boys basketball coach at Fenwick, where Moss led the Falcons to a 27-19 record, he believes “it’s time for me to come back.”
Moss will continue to serve as assistant director of opera- tions at Marshall High School in Middletown. He will be paid $16,000 to coach the Middies.
“This job was very appealing,” said Moss, who noted MHS has the best athletic facilities in the state and plays in a very competitive GMC. “There is not another job I’m looking for.”
Middletown Athletic Director JD Foust called Moss “a complete basketball coach” who understands what it means to be a Middie and the “rich tradition of excellence” that comes with playing for the Middies.
Middletown Principal Carmela Cotter said Moss is an
“extremely dynamic and focused basketball coach” who cares about the players and is committed to developing the program.
Prior to coaching at Fenwick, Moss spent three years as the head men’s coach at Miami University Hamilton where he compiled a 64-27 record, winning three Ohio Regional Campus Conference regular-season titles and two conference tournament crowns.
He has been a head coach with the Middletown High School girls for two years and the Espiritu NFL YET College Prep Academy boys for one year in Phoenix, Ariz. He was an assistant in the Middletown boys program under Bob Ronai and Josh Andrews.
Moss played at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn. Foust told WCPO.com that Moss is the first Middies head boys basketball coach to be born and raised in Middletown.