Coach Ed Petrie Court Complete

About a year after the basketball court at was dedicated in the name of the former boys basketball coach, the decal has been placed for all to see that they are on Coach Petrie Court.

Ed Petrie, 79, had a half-century coaching career, over 40 years of which were spent at the helm of Bonac boys hoops before he retired in 2010. He had set a New York State Public High School Athletic Association-record 754 wins.

The decals, which Petrie's wife Nancy helped pick out, was finally laid on the court over the weekend. It appears in two diagonal corners of the court.

“As someone who is new to this community, one of the first things you learn about is Coach Petrie and all of his accomplishments," said principal Adam Fine. "He is a legend here at East Hampton High School and has left an indelible mark on players he has coached. This court naming is the least we can do for such a influential figure here at the high school.”

Athletic director Joseph Vasile-Cozzo said the original intention was to strip the floor and repaint the lines on the court before laying down the decal. However, the money to replace the floor, which Petrie said was installed a season or two after he was hired in 1969, did not make the budget, so the the school went ahead with laying the decals while some other improvements were made to the gym, like new wall padding. When the floor is eventually replaced, the decal will be redone.

The ever modest Petrie said was happy to see the final result. "I think it looks great. I'm very pleased with it," he said on Monday, when he stopped by for a photograph.

Petrie said he purposefully stayed away last season, the team's first without him, but that he speaks to new coach Billy McKee often. This year, he will come to more games.

Vasile-Cozzo said he would like to recognize Petrie briefly at the next game he attends (The boys take on on Tuesday evening), but Petrie said he would rather not too much fuss be made.

"Ed is very low key," his wife said. "He's not that interested in the accolades, he just wants to get the job done, say hello, that's it."

Petrie, who turns 80 in June, retired from teaching in 1988. According to Newsday, Petrie had a winning percentage of .745. He had won 20 league titles, three county championships and two state titles.

In all of New York State, Petrie comes in behind Jack Curran, the coach at Archbishop Molly, a Catholic school, who had 924 wins when Petrie retired.