Only eight days after the end of Ozark's 2023-24 basketball season, coach Mark Schweitzer resigned from his post last Friday, ending his 11-year tenure leading the Tigers.
The Tigers were 11-16 overall and 6-3 in the COC while finishing third in league play this season. They fell to Nixa 64-63 in triple overtime in a Class 6 District 5 first-round game two weeks ago.
Ozark had a winning record in nine seasons, reached the 20-win mark three times and posted 18 wins or more in six seasons under Schweitzer. The Tigers enjoyed a stretch of four seasons from 2014-2018 in which they won at least 19 games each winter and were 80-31.
Ozark captured a District championship under Schweitzer in 2020.
The Tigers recorded an undefeated run through the COC en route to a conference championship in 2018. Schweitzer was named the COC Coach Of the Year.
Schweitzer’s career W-L record is 190-114, a .646 winning percentage.
“I’ve enjoyed watching our kids and representing our town and community on the basketball floor,” Schweitzer said in a statement releassed by Ozark. “There is no better place to be during the winter than watching five guys on a floor working together for a common goal and leaving everything out on the floor for their teammates and community.
“I am truly grateful for the time I have gotten to spend coaching here at Ozark,” he added. “I have built lifelong relationships with players, parents and coaches all while playing a game I love.”
Over the last 25 seasons, the Tigers have had just two head coaches, Schweitzer and Steve Hunter.
Schweitzer was Ozark’s second-longest tenured head coach. In addition, he served as an assistant to Hunter on the Tigers’ bench for five seasons and was an assistant at Hollister for one season.
"I commend coach Schweitzer for his unwavering dedication and outstanding contributions to our basketball program over the past 17 years,” AD Yancey Little said in a statement. “His leadership, passion, and commitment have left an indelible mark on our team and community."
Along with Schweitzer, Tigers assistants Josh Fish and Johnathan Felton also resigned.
