Wadsworth girls basketball coach Andrew Booth gets OHSBCA award

The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association announced Wednesday that Wadsworth girls basketball coach Andrew Booth is the winner of the 2024 Paul Walker Award. The award is presented annually by the OHSBCA to an active coaching member of the association who has made significant contributions to high school basketball. It is named in honor of the longtime coach of Middletown who at the time of his retirement had the most wins as a boys coach in Ohio history. "I'm not a big awards guy, but this is very meaningful in that it was given by your peers, your fellow basketball coaches of the state of Ohio," Booth said. "It is a recognition of the love I have for the game that has given so much to me since I was a young boy, and that I try on a daily basis to give back to it and the people that enjoy and find it special like I do." Booth began his career at his alma mater, Malone College, where he served as an assistant for two years. He also served as the junior varsity boys coach at Mansfield St. Peter's for two years and an assistant boys coach at Crestline High School for three years. Immediately prior to joining Wadsworth, Booth was the head girls coach at Mansfield Madison, had a record of 98-58. His record at Wadsworth is 356-100 with nine district championships, three regional crowns at the 2016 Division I state championship. Booth has won various league and district coaching awards throughout his career. In 2016, he was named OHSBCA D-I Coach of the Year. He currently serves as the OHSBCA Girls District 2 & 3 Director and is the Co-Director of Midwest Live and previously served as the OHSBCA Top 20 Awards Director for three years. Booth serves as an intervention specialist at Wadsworth. He and wife Rachel reside in Wadsworth Township and have two adult children, Peyton (28) and Alec (25). "The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association would like to congratulate Andrew Booth of Wadsworth High School on receiving the prestigious Paul Walker Award," OHSBCA executive director Joe Balogh said. "This award is presented to an active coach who has made significant contributions to Ohio high school basketball. Coach Booth has won over 450 games in his coaching career and has been actively involved in our association."