2003 coaching changes
Region IV
The Lee Generals had to hire two new coaches this year.
Brian Lee stepped down in Nov. after 3 consectutive 2-8 seasons.
Chris Brookshire was later named to replace Lee, but a May 29th brief in the Kingsport Times
reported that Brookshire "stepped down" from that position on Memorial Day because he had
"accepted another position elsewhere".
(According to a May 26th article in Asheville's
Citizen Times,
Brookshire was named as the new head coach at Erwin (NC) HS after THEIR recently
named replacement resigned.)
The powers that be in Lee wasted no time in contacting their 2nd choice, and before
the week was over, former Garden & Twin Valley asst. Chris Hagerman had accepted the
Lee position, over 2 or 3 other schools, as reported in the June 12th edition of the
Bristol Herald Courier.
Chris is from the old school (Garden High, that is), and is an Emory & Henry grad.
who's developed his skills at a number of schools. He started off at Reidsville High,
which won a NC title last season; spent a year as a graduate asst. (defense) at Div. III
power Rowan (a regular in Salem's Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl), and last Fall he was an asst. at
the newly-opened East Ridge H.S. (20 minutes below Grundy), which consolidated 3 KY high
schools : Elkhorn City, Millard & Feds Creek.
According to a May 7th report on
WDBJ and an Aug. 4th article in the
Roanoke Times,
the two Henry County schools which may be closed this time next year have new
head coaches.
Laurel Park (which may consolidate with Magna Vista) brought Kevin Newman over from Chatham to
guide the Lancers. The 25 year-old Newman was a QB at Bridgewater a few years ago.
Fieldale-Collinsville (which may consolidate with Bassett) replaces Elly Stone with Jay
(or Jaye or James) Gilbert, who's been an asst. for 3 years.
According to an Aug. 5th article in the
Fredricksburg Star, former Laurel Park & Patrick Co. asst. J.C. Hall gets
his first head coaching job, as he returns to his alma mater, Courtland (in Region 1).
Hall was a Soph. on the Cougars state championship team in 1987.
Region III
According to a Feb. 19th article in the
Roanoke Times, 36 year old
assistant Jack Turner replaces legendary Joel Hicks on the Pulaski sideline this Fall.
Turner is a 1985 Pulaski grad & was an all-state defensive end as a Senior.
He played defensive end at Ferrum (graduating in 1990), and served as a graduate
assistant for a couple of years. In 1992, he became an asst. coach at Franklin Co.,
then returned to Pulaski as an assistant in the mid 90's.
Joel Hicks stepped down last Nov. as the VHSL's second-winningest coach with 301 career
victories. He went 210-69 in 24 years at Pulaski, leading the Cougars to 15 district titles,
6 regional crowns & the 1992 Group AAA Division 6 championship. His first 91 wins came during
12 years in WV at Big Creek & Woodrow Wilson (Beckley).
According to a May 16th article in the
Danville Register & Bee, Henry Van Turner is the new coach for the Dan River Wildcats.
Van served as HC the past 2 years at Weddington HS, a Class 3A school in Mathews, NC
(near Charlotte).
Ken Meador, who had been the head Wildcat since 1988, wasn't reinstated,
and was hired as the head coach at Bartlett-Yancey, NC.
According to a May 21st article in the
Roanoke Times,
Alleghany named Jack Baker as the replacement for Mark Keith, who resigned last Winter
after a 3-7 campaign.
The 30-year-old Baker was a Group A track champion at James River, a fullback at VMI
from 1992-94, an asst. at James River and Lord Botetourt, and has spent the last
5 years coaching the running backs and receivers at VMI.
Region D
According to an Aug. 4th article in the Bristol Herald Courier, Rick Mullins
becomes just the 3rd coach in 50 years at Clintwood. Bob Meade stepped down last
Nov. after 15 years at the helm with a 91-71 record.
Rick is a Green Wave alum from 1982, and had been an asst. at CVC, Patrick Co., Pound
& JJ Kelly before coming back to Clintwood last season as offensive coordinator.
According to the online minutes
of the Scott Co. School Board, Kevin M. Porter resigned at Twin Springs, effective
Dec. 10th, with Frank "Sarge" Reed taking over on May 6th. Some of us "old-timers"
(from the pre-internet days) remember the Sarge either from stints at Rye Cove in the 80's
or Appalachia in the 70's.
According to the online minutes
of the Wise Co. School Board, B.I. Salyers resigned after 3 seasons at St. Paul (23-11),
effective Jan. 10th, with asst. Mark Palmer receiving a promotion on Feb. 12th. Palmer
was the head coach at Ervinton from 1991-97.
And according to a June 27th article in the
Coalfield Progress, Salyers jumped across the Clinch River to take over at Castlewood.
Salyers replaces Saunders (Matthew), who headed to N.C after 2 seasons (9-11) with the Deacons.
According to June 19th articles in the Va. Mountaineer and the
Bristol Herald-Courier, Charlie Vandyke was named the new head coach at Twin Valley,
replacing Frank Daugherty, who resigned after the schools first two seasons with an 8-12
record. Vandyke was once an asst. at Garden.
According to a June 27th article in the
Kingsport Times-News,
fromer Rye Cove coach Mike Wampler has taken over at Sullivan North (Tenn.).
Also I read somewhere that Travis Turner will be back on the Appalachia sidelines this Fall -
as an asst. coach.
Region C
According to a Feb. 21st article in the
Roanoke Times,
28 year old Kelly Lowe takes over the reigns from his father at Narrows. Daddy Don decided
to leave the Green Wave sidelines after 12 seasons and a 68-56 record. He was an assistant
over at Giles in 1980 when the Spartans win the Group A title.
Kelly played for his father until 1992, then spent 4 years playing at E&H before going
back to his hometown after graduation. He's the PE teacher at Narrows Elementary and
has served as an asst. coach for the varsity football & basketball programs.
According to an April 9th article in the
Bland Co. Messenger,
Doug Reavis leaves Bland for Fort Chiswell. Reavis, who was 8-11 in his 2 years at Bland,
wanted to be a little closer to home (Hillsville).
Robert "Spider" Thompson leaves the Fort after 4 years.
As of Aug. 17th, I've seen no information about a new coach for Bland.
According to a May 7th article in the
Roanoke Times
(and a great a July 30th article in the Harrisonburg
Daily News-Record),
James River coach Toby Peer will take over the top spot at Spotswood (near Harrisonburg),
closer to his hometown of Brandywine, W.Va.
After a 1-9 debut season 3 years ago, Peer led the Knights to records of 7-3 & 8-2.
Spotswood finished 8-4 last year, and head coach Eric Baylor left coaching to pursue
a masters degree in administration.
And according to a May 22nd article in the
Roanoke Times,
assistant Phil King will take over at James River. King, a Roanoke native, came to
JR at the same time as Peer (3 years ago) after a 1-9 year at Craig County.
TEMPS
According to a Jan. 24th article in the
Roanoke Times, Magna Vista
coach Joe Beckelheimer has been suspended for one game due the
forfeit deal last Winter.
Seems the status of the team's ineligible player was questioned BEFORE the playoff loss
to Heritage, but the coach let the boy play anyway, since the county schools were closed
due to snow, and no one was in the office to check the records.
No information was given about who COULD have accessed the school records, if copies were
available in the county office, or if anyone could have made it to the school (the coach
did - the field needed work).
I feel for the coach, since I know from first-hand experience that it can be next to
impossible to get someone to do something they don't HAVE to do when you don't have the
power to make them.
(my look at this : If the kid was deemed ineligible the following Monday, as suspected,
they'd have to forfeit all of their games and the possible playoff win over Heritage,
so benching the player wouldn't have made any difference.
But if the kid WAS eligible, and benched, and the team lost, what could be done? Nothing.)
Anyway, Beckelheimer will miss the season opener against William Fleming.
Elsewhere
The state's all-time wins leader, Hampton's Mike Smith (an Abingdon native), also announced
his retirement near the end of last season, but, according to a Dec. 10th article in the
Roanoke Times, Patrick Henry
(Roanoke) coach Kevin Clifford was been suspended for the first two games of the 2003 season
as punishment for slapping a Patriots player in the face last season.
The rookie coach admitted to striking his player outside the locker room after the Patriots'
season-ending victory at Halifax Co. on Nov. 8th. Clifford said "It was a playful thing"
and "I equate it to hitting a kid on the butt". But the slap left a red mark on the
player's cheek.
Either Leon Taylor or Tommy Jones was expected to step up from their assistant position
to fill-in for those two games.
But all that changed in July.
According to a July 13th article in the
Roanoke Times,
coach Clifford resigned after being found guilty of misdemeanor assault & fined $50 for
that slap. The boys' parents said they would drop the charge, which he appealed, if he
resigned. If he had lost the appeal, he would have lost his teaching license.
Three days later, the Times
reported that Clifford had met with some of the team & some parents 6 weeks earlier
at a local park, and one of the boys brought a football. The principal reported the
activity to the VHSL, which ruled it an illegal practice.
PH faces possible state & district fines.
Another Times story later
that week reported that Patrick Henry hired Doug Ross as their interim coach for the year.
Ross compiled a 79-91 mark over 17 years at James River before being fired in 2000.
Across the state line, a number of Eastern Kentucky schools that play Va. teams have new
coaches this Fall.
At East Ridge, Erik Ratliff's replacement is Mike Davis, a Boyd Co. grad. who has been
an asst. at Trimble Co. the past 4 years.
At Betsy Layne, Glen Ripkoski's replacement is Jackie Bush, a Bobcat alum who's been an
asst. at Prestonsburg the past couple of years.
At Jenkins, Todd Neace's replacement is an alum, Mark Johnson.
At Cawood, Bo Callebs' replacement is Frank Smith, who was the Trojans interim coach 2
years ago.
Down in Tenn., Claiborne (formerly Claiborne Co.) recruited Barry Lyles to take over
for Blair Harrison, who left for Brookstone HS in Columbus, Ga., in early July.