ST. IGNACE – Doreen Ingalls is retiring from coaching varsity girls basketball at Saint Ignace after 27 years, concluding a career that included five state championships and 542 wins. Ingalls, who also achieved nine finals appearances and earned three coach of the year awards, will step down from her role.
Ingalls’ extensive coaching tenure at Saint Ignacxe spanned decades, beginning with junior varsity and junior high boys and girls basketball. She even had a brief period as a varsity softball coach before taking the helm of the varsity girls basketball team in 1999. Ingalls reflected on her long career, stating, “I guess if you look at the decades, the 90s, the 2000, the 20 tens and the 2020s, it’s a long time. It hasn’t really hit me yet.” She added that while she is sad, the full weight of her retirement has not yet impacted her.
Ingalls played basketball at Lake Superior State University before she started coaching at Saint Ignace. Her early coaching roles included junior varsity and junior high boys and girls basketball. Ingalls also served a brief stint as a varsity softball coach.
Ingalls began leading the varsity girls basketball program in 1999. She recalled her debut season, saying, “My first year in 99 with the varsity, we lost to the Sault at home, and the girls were so pumped up for that game, and they were like carrying stuff through the school day, and all that stuff. We ended up losing that game, and Doug came into the locker room and said, ‘that’s the last time we’re going to lose all year. We’re going to win a state championship.’ And we just kind of went on from there and that’s exactly what we did.”
The team secured a second state title in 2000, following their initial success.
Under Ingalls’ leadership, the Saints achieved a 105-six record in her first five years. This established a foundation for continued success that spanned two decades, during which she earned three more state titles, bringing her total to five. Throughout her 27-year career, Ingalls amassed 542 wins, secured nine finals appearances and received three coach of the year awards.
Ingalls highlighted the importance of relationships built with her players over the years. “There’s times throughout these 27 years, you know, that things have been it was tough. You know, I had tough, low moments or whatever, and all of a sudden I’d get a random text from Sarah or a message from, you know, she’s overseas or whatever,” Ingalls said. “Or I’d get something, you know, from other kids, you know, I mean, just little, little messages once in a while. It’s just like the universe is kind of just kind of giving you an uplift and like a reminder and a little grounding. It’s not so much all the trophies and all that stuff. It’s just the memories that you have.”
Ingalls will now spend her free time supporting her children in their blossoming careers.
