LIBERTY – Steve Arnold was sitting on his deck with his dog when he received a call. It was Liberty athletic director Todd Smith.

Smith, who coached football with Arnold, was looking for a new men’s basketball coach and wanted to talk. Initially, former coach Warren G. Harding thought Smith needed help with the search. Instead, he wanted to discuss Arnold’s interest in returning to the sidelines.

Initially, Arnold wasn’t sold on the idea of ​​returning to the high school coaching scene after leaving WGH football coaching less than a year ago. However, Smith gradually began to persuade Arnold to return.

Let’s move on to Monday afternoon; Arnold was sitting in the Liberty High School auditorium. He listened as members of the board of education congratulated him on his new position as head coach of the men’s basketball team.

“I came to an open gym and watched the kids play,” Arnold said. “I said to myself, ‘I hope I can do something with these young men and help them grow as young people and, of course, become a very competitive basketball team.'”

Arnold is no stranger to basketball. Before becoming the Raiders’ football coach, he served as basketball coach for over a decade and coached the Raiders from 2002-12.

“To me, a coach is a coach. Things have changed now and you have to get used to the new way basketball is played and coached, but I’m comfortable doing that,” Arnold said.

It wasn’t just his previous connection that led Smith to ask Arnold to come out of retirement. He knew the energy that came after Arnold and thought the hire would benefit students and send a message to the community.

“Our kids are experiencing his leadership,” Smith said. “They see someone who has been there and done that. And they learn from someone who has a wealth of experience not only in sports but also in life.

“Our high school is very important. I think people will see this hire as a bit of a surprise. But we’re not, because we know what we’re building here. We have an outstanding chef in Brian Knight, we have Tom Zetts who has enough accolades in his own right as a manager here. “I’m going on this journey with these guys because I think people will start to realize that we’ve turned this place around.”

Arnold left coaching at Harding to work at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, which opened behind Mollenkopf Stadium in Warren. He said he will continue to work at the wellness center while coaching at Liberty.

The lifelong coach does not take the time to adapt to his new environment. He is already making a plan to prepare his players for next season.

“It’s like riding a bike,” Arnold said with a smile.