St. Xavier High lacrosse coach Scott Howe out after 23 dominant years

Scott Howe, the architect of the St. Xavier High School lacrosse program that has dominated the sport in Kentucky, will not return as the Tigers’ head coach next season.

Howe said he was informed May 25 by St. X athletic director Denny Williams that his contract would not be renewed.

Howe, 70, posted a 326-124 record over 23 seasons at St. X. His teams won 16 state championships in the Kentucky Scholastic Lacrosse League, including the past five. Aside from the 2020 postseason that was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic, St. X reached the state final 21 of 22 seasons under Howe.

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"Obviously, I’m hurt and I’m a little bit flabbergasted," Howe said. "But the memories I have are wonderful."

Williams said the school plans to send a news release about the job Friday morning.

"We obviously appreciate coach Howe's time and commitment to the program and the dynasty he built," Williams said. "Look forward to building for the future."

Asked if he was given a reason why his contract wasn't renewed, Howe said he wasn't.

"No real explanation," he said. "There really didn't need to be. I’m an at-will employee on a yearly basis, and they don't have to give me a reason. I understand that. …

"There's always somebody who is disenchanted or downright mad about whatever. When you’re talking about kids and parents, usually the kids are OK and it's the parents that are tough. That's just the fact of coaching life. I’m sure somebody complained about something. But you’d think after 23 years it would be something other than a ‘See ya’ on the telephone."

Howe coached the first all-St. X lacrosse team in 2001 and finished 10-4, beating the Cherokee club team in the first Kentucky Lacrosse Association state final.

Howe was integral in the introduction of lacrosse on the high school level in Kentucky and was a founding member of the local US Lacrosse chapter. In 2015 he was an inaugural inductee into the US Lacrosse Kentucky Chapter Hall of Fame.

While lacrosse is not currently sanctioned in Kentucky, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association has voted to adopt the sport for the 2024-25 school year, pending a final participation survey.

Howe was adamant that "I’m not retiring," and said he plans to continue his involvement with travel teams, clinics and camps.

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Asked if he would consider coaching again on the high school level, Howe didn't rule it out.

"Half my wardrobe is St. X clothes," he said. "I’m like, ‘What am I going to wear now?’

"It would have to be something that was important to the administration and important to the athletic department. They’d have to want to be at the top. … We spent a lot of years climbing the mountain at St. X. Today, we are the mountain. It would be kind of fun to do that again."

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; [email protected]; Twitter: @kyhighs.