Below is Basham's retirement announcement from Marquette University High School.

Dick Basham Wisconsin’s Winningest High School Football Coach Retires 

Coach Basham, head football coach of the Marquette University High School Hilltoppers, announced his retirement today. Basham, who will turn 66 this month, coached the Hilltoppers for 38 seasons. He compiled a 340-79 record at MUHS and is the winningest high school coach in Wisconsin football history.

“In 1972 Marquette High took a chance and hired a young math teacher who had two years of head coaching experience for its head football coach,” Basham wrote in his retirement letter to Athletic Director Dan Hardwick. “Thirty-eight years and 419 football games have gone by and I think that ‘chance’ worked out pretty well for both Marquette and that young coach. However, all good things must come to an end, and now is the right time for me to step aside and pass the head coaching position on to someone else.”

“To say that Dick is one of Marquette High’s best coaches would be a huge understatement,” said Hardwick, who took over the athletic director duties from Basham in 2005. “It has been an honor and a privilege to have Dick coach our young men for the past 38 years. He is so knowledgeable in the sport of football and quick and generous in passing that knowledge on to our younger coaches. We are truly thankful for all the great connections that he’s made with all the young men coming through his program.”

During Basham’s MUHS coaching career, his teams:
• Had an overall record of 350-87
• Won nine State Championships – 8 WISAA and 1 WIAA, which was achieved this past season (2009) in which the Hilltoppers completed a perfect season (14-0)
• Won 20 Conference Championships
• Made 31 playoff appearances
• Won 48 straight conference games in 1984-1990
• Won 23 straight games in 1988-89
• Won 22 straight games in 1994-95

Basham graduated from Wartburg College in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, and earned a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1970. Prior to joining Marquette High, Basham taught and coached at Wisconsin Rapids Assumption High School where he compiled a 10-8 record in two seasons.

In addition to being head football coach for 38 seasons, Basham taught math for 32 years (1972-2004) at Marquette High and served as Mathematics Department chairman for 15 years. He also served as the head track coach for 21 years (1974-1994) and athletic director for 11 years (1994-2005).

Basham had plans to retire from teaching and coaching following the 2004-2005 school year. After the sudden death of his first wife, Susan, during the 2004 season, Basham made the decision to retire from teaching and his administrative duties, but would continue to coach, committing to one year at a time.

Basham had an impact on his players over the years. Currently, more than 12 of his assistant coaches are past players in his program.

“I would like to thank the entire Marquette community for its incredible support over these many years in the good times and the bad,” Basham said. “I always looked forward to coming to work and wouldn’t trade these years for anything. My family and I will always hold Marquette University High School close to our hearts and continue to support its mission.”

Basham hasn’t cemented his retirement plans, except for three things, golf, travel and spending more time with his family, including his current wife, Mary; son, Brent, his wife, Therese, and their two children; and daughter, Kimberly, her husband, Diego, and their four children.