Even though Ken Lockey hasn't coached in five years, when the Seneca Valley wrestling program hurts, he hurts.

For 33 years, Lockey was the only coach the Raiders wrestling program ever had.

Now, it is looking for its third coach since he walked away after the 1999 season.

Former Lockey assistant Joe Montalbano spent three years at the helm and Mark Angle spent the past two years in the post before he left.

"Sometimes, you have to fight through difficult times," said Lockey, 62, of Harmony. "It hurt bad after Joe (Montalbano) quit. He was with me and I fought to get him in. That was a letdown.

"I thought they'd both be there for awhile, but for whatever reason, they're not. What it does is disrupts the program, and you can't have that," he added.

That, however, wasn't a problem when Lockey was coaching the Raiders.

Having started the program in 1966, the Raiders went 4-7 that inaugural year. They never had a losing record under Lockey after that.

He finished with a 392-163-13 record, which at the time placed him atop the WPIAL list with most victories.

He posted double-figure wins in 24 seasons and had seven seasons of 15 wins or more.

Connellsville's Tom Dolde Sr. passed him shortly thereafter Lockey's retirement, but his place in Western Pennsylvania wrestling lore was secure.

Under Lockey the Raiders won five section titles, had 71 section champions, eight WPIAL champions, 38 WPIAL place winners, 11 state place winners and one state champion.

The Kenneth R. Lockey Locker Room is just another honor that has been bestowed on him.

Despite being away for five years, Lockey admits he doesn't miss the sport as much as he used to.

"There are times when I still miss it. I've done that pretty much my whole life, at least since I was a little kid," said Lockey.

"The first year away, it was really bad and the second year was still bad. The third year I adjusted. You have to accept it," he added.

Lockey spends most of his time with his business - K&D Painting of Harmony - with partner Dean Zinkhann.

"Dean and I have been really busy," said Lockey. "The past two years weren't as good because of the economy, but now we're being stormed with jobs.

"(The business is) another thing I want to slowly get out of. Things I like to do when I'm working I can't do. I like to hunt and go fly fishing.

"It didn't bother me with fishing, but it's impossible to hunt," added Lockey, who also enjoys gardening.

While Lockey has been away from the sport for five years, changes always seem to emerge in high school wrestling.

Talk of limiting points - the number of tournaments and meets a wrestler can compete in - as well as trimming weight classes are two of the more recent discussions.

Lockey has no problem with the points issue, but he thinks the number of weight classes can be reduced.

"The multiples of (five pounds) in the middle of the match, it's too easy for kids to go up and down. I never did like that," Lockey said. "The problem now is it's hard to have a full lineup. Kids don't want to participate in any sports.

"It's too easy to jump two weight classes. Early in the season, kids are wrestling 10 pounds higher than they should," he added.

With the Raiders in the market for a head coach, does Lockey get those pangs to return?

"I've thought about that. The problem with coaching is the matches are great; it's just all the practices," said Lockey. "It would be different if there was a coach here and he asked me to help.

"I keep debating, but it's time to move on and do other things. I don't know if I'd do it again. It would be a possibility if I had two young coaches."