MY COACHING STORY
2006 4A Mississippi High School State Champion that went on to compete NCAA Division I at The University of Southern Mississippi. After playing for arguably the best high school coach (Gina Skelton) in our state and region, the first summer of my college experience, I helped out at summer camp and I was hooked - I wanted to be a coach! During my playing career, I battled injuries and poor decision making that ultimately led to me foregoing my 5th and final year of eligibility. I had dropped out of school and was working at a catfish house in my hometown of Waynesboro, MS situated near the Chickasawhay River on the AL/MS line. (From time to time I'll share more about this place full of great people, but as far as basketball there are limited opportunities.)
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Through all of the ups and downs, I had rock solid people in my corner, but I held no real plans of going back to school and completing my degree until I was encouraged by a friend who was an assistant coach at my high school and my now former boss. She and I, along with a handful of our other friends had just completed a spring and summer of travel basketball where we volunteered our time with girls from the Pine Belt Area. Mid July 2012 she called and asked if I would be willing to come on as a para-professional and help her at a local high school. At this point, I was really only focused on knocking out my 36-hours the next weekend at the catfish house (which btw that was some of the best fish in town). This whole website would be amiss if I did not mention Crisla Herchenhahn ---- or as most people know her "Coach H." She without a doubt believed in me at times when I wasn't really sure if I had a chance to ever coach the sport I loved and was willing to help me work out the time commitment to juggle two part-time jobs and school.
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So back to school I went, working part-time at the catfish house and with the team. During my 3 years at Petal HS working with Coach H, I had completed my degree and helped field a travel organization that brought on many long days and a lot of laughs. Between the HS and 17u and 15u teams, I loved being in the gym all the time (when I wasn't waiting tables of course :) ). Before my third season at Petal began, the Mississippi High School Activities Association legislation changed to limit opportunities for HS coaches to coach travel teams. I know I was not the only one disappointed, but with this rule change, basketball was no longer a year-round thing. Sure I could've gave a better try at being a skills trainer, but something about being a full-time coach with a team burned inside of me.
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With the help of Coach H, after the third season was over, I reached out and was contacted for a few jobs. In two of the interviews, I made it to the final two and each of them decided to go a different way. Not gonna lie, the interview process wasn't stressful, but I was drained. Just like a 90 minute practice slot when I was a 16 year old athlete and a 25 year old coach, I had poured my heart and soul into getting to know those people and landing the job. I KNEW that being a basketball coach is what I was born to do and had resolved to staying at Petal another season.
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A few weeks went by and the school year was winding down, God had a different plan. I had an opportunity to visit with Missy Bilderback and begin my first stint at Jones College. I had become a college basketball coach. Dream fulfilled. Since then I spent three years as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at my alma mater The University of Southern Mississippi. Currently, I am back in an Assistant Coach role at Jones College.
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Above is the short version of my coaching story and I intentionally left out the BEST PART..... the PLAYERS. My hope is that through this website, I am able to share this layered coaching story and expand on details that have made me into who I am today.
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Moma and Daddy - I love you.
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