Bradley Central Bearettes--Most wins in Tennessee?

[wingman10]

I remember Kelly Jolley coming to Smiddy Arena in the mid 90's & beating a very good Bearrette team.

She was amazing!

 

she always played hard...doing a good job with Missouri State and her son is already shooting hoops with good form

[Bearettesalltheway]

Ill try to pick up the book soon

[baconbreath]

I'm still waiting for a response if a team has more than 2165 wins in Tennessee girls public school basketball.

[anotherback]

BB. I've sent out several feelers no reply. I remember seeing an old SETC champion trophy for Girl from I think 1925. That's when it was one dribble one step and you had to pass or shoot. The SETC was the big championship in our area I believe before the formation of the TSSA. I also wondered if they might have the national record. I looked into Bertha Teagues school but no reply. I also asked of a team in Illinois and 1 in PA. I think Bradley has most of them by about 150 wins.

Edited March 8, 2017 by anotherback

[baconbreath]

AB, Thanks for digging into the data. Bertha Teague held the most wins for a coach until Jim Smiddy of Bradley Central broke it and went on to record 1217 wins before retiring in 1993. He held the record (at that time) for the most wins by a basketball coach at any level---high school, college or pro, either male or female. Since then it has been broken by a few coaches but he is still in the top 10 nationwide. 

 

The TSSAA was formed in April 1925 and prior to that the Nashville Tennesseean held a boys tourney while Peabody School for Teachers (now part of Vanderbilt) organized a girls tournament. There were very few schools playing girls high school basketball at that time. The girls portion of the tourney was discontinued in 1929 due to schools across the state playing by 3 different sets of rules. 1) 6 on 6 on two courts, 2) 6 on 6 on three courts and 3) 5 on 5. At the state tourney at that time the girls were required to play 5 on 5 and coaches who did not play that style felt it was unfair and refused to play. It was re-instated in 1958 as a 6 on 6 style which all girls schools were then playing. In 1980 all schools went to 5 on 5 due to a law suit filed by an Oak Ridge player claiming discrimination against female players because it hurt them receiving recognition for colleges that led to college scholarships since the colleges were playing 5 on 5. So for from 1928 thru 1957 there was no contested girls state tourney. Very sad situation.

 

The Bradley girls played in two of the early tournaments but they are not recognized by the TSSAA. Officially the Bearettes have competed in 31 state tourneys, a TSSAA record. There were several Bradley teams that won the region tourney but that was the end of the line during that time when no girls states were played. It probably cost the girls more state titles (they currently have 5) because some of the Bearette teams during that era destroyed many of the teams they played. Sorta like they continues to do even today. 

Edited March 10, 2017 by baconbreath

[anotherback]

AB, Thanks for digging into the data. Bertha Teague held the most wins for a coach until Jim Smiddy of Bradley Central broke it and went on to record 1217 wins before retiring in 1993. He held the record (at that time) for the most wins by a basketball coach at any level---high school, college or pro, either male or female. Since then it has been broken by a few coaches but he is still in the top 10 nationwide.

 

The TSSAA was formed in April 1925 and prior to that the Nashville Tennesseean held a boys tourney while Peabody School for Teachers (now part of Vanderbilt) organized a girls tournament. There were very few schools playing girls high school basketball at that time. The girls portion of the tourney was discontinued in 1929 due to schools across the state playing by 3 different sets of rules. 1) 6 on 6 on two courts, 2) 6 on 6 on three courts and 3) 5 on 5. At the state tourney at that time the girls were required to play 5 on 5 and coaches who did not play that style felt it was unfair and refused to play. It was re-instated in 1958 as a 6 on 6 style which all girls schools were then playing. In 1980 all schools went to 5 on 5 due to a law suit filed by an Oak Ridge player claiming discrimination against female players because it hurt them receiving recognition for colleges that led to college scholarships since the colleges were playing 5 on 5. So for from 1928 thru 1957 there was no contested girls state tourney. Very sad situation.

 

The Bradley girls played in two of the early tournaments but they are not recognized by the TSSAA. Officially the Bearettes have competed in 31 state tourneys, a TSSAA record. There were several Bradley teams that won the region tourney but that was the end of the line during that time when no girls states were played. It probably cost the girls more state titles (they currently have 5) because some of the Bearette teams during that era destroyed many of the teams they played. Sorta like they continues to do even today.

I knew Bettha was the one Smiddy passed and his has be broken several times. I thought the team she coached might be a good starting point considering she quit coaching long before Smiddy retired. I thought perhaps they might be chasing the same numbers of wins. What I didn't expect was what an interesting story she and her husband played in that school/ community. They are legends for more than basketball. I found one school in Michigan that had started playing around 1925 and had some sucess but they fell short a couple hundred games and I think it ceased being a school. Edited March 10, 2017 by anotherback

[blitzinbuc]

AB, Thanks for digging into the data. Bertha Teague held the most wins for a coach until Jim Smiddy of Bradley Central broke it and went on to record 1217 wins before retiring in 1993. He held the record (at that time) for the most wins by a basketball coach at any level---high school, college or pro, either male or female. Since then it has been broken by a few coaches but he is still in the top 10 nationwide. 

 

The TSSAA was formed in April 1925 and prior to that the Nashville Tennesseean held a boys tourney while Peabody School for Teachers (now part of Vanderbilt) organized a girls tournament. There were very few schools playing girls high school basketball at that time. The girls portion of the tourney was discontinued in 1929 due to schools across the state playing by 3 different sets of rules. 1) 6 on 6 on two courts, 2) 6 on 6 on three courts and 3) 5 on 5. At the state tourney at that time the girls were required to play 5 on 5 and coaches who did not play that style felt it was unfair and refused to play. It was re-instated in 1958 as a 6 on 6 style which all girls schools were then playing. In 1980 all schools went to 5 on 5 due to a law suit filed by an Oak Ridge player claiming discrimination against female players because it hurt them receiving recognition for colleges that led to college scholarships since the colleges were playing 5 on 5. So for from 1928 thru 1957 there was no contested girls state tourney. Very sad situation.

 

The Bradley girls played in two of the early tournaments but they are not recognized by the TSSAA. Officially the Bearettes have competed in 31 state tourneys, a TSSAA record. There were several Bradley teams that won the region tourney but that was the end of the line during that time when no girls states were played. It probably cost the girls more state titles (they currently have 5) because some of the Bearette teams during that era destroyed many of the teams they played. Sorta like they continues to do even today. 

 

I think the state of Tennessee went to 5 on 5 for girls basketball in 1976 or 1977.  And if I'm not mistaking, Coach Smiddy never won a state championship with the 5 on 5 format... meaning that the Bearettes last state championship was over 40 years ago? 

[baconbreath]

I think the state of Tennessee went to 5 on 5 for girls basketball in 1976 or 1977.  And if I'm not mistaking, Coach Smiddy never won a state championship with the 5 on 5 format... meaning that the Bearettes last state championship was over 40 years ago? 

They went 5 on 5 in 1980 according to the TSSAA.

[anotherback]

I think the state of Tennessee went to 5 on 5 for girls basketball in 1976 or 1977. And if I'm not mistaking, Coach Smiddy never won a state championship with the 5 on 5 format... meaning that the Bearettes last state championship was over 40 years ago?

You're right Buc. And Coach Smiddy ( he paddles me once for calling him just Smiddy ) never won a GAME in the state tourney after the switch. He went but never won another game. Had one great team with Lisa Longley, Amy Wales, Stacey Ghourley? Yolanda Westfield , Lisa Wells and 2 other Seniors that were very good. They beat everybody in the district that year by at least 50. Scored over 100 a couple times. I think Oak Ridge won it that year. Then the year 1984 or 88 that Brainerd girls won it. They beat them during the regular season once I think but got upset in a opening District game by a Cleveland team that only won 2 or 3 games. Knocking them from post season play. Biggest upset I ever saw before or since. I think coach Smiddy had the talent to win it a few more times but couldn't make the in game adjustment that 5 on 5 calls for. Great guy. Loved talking to him. One thing his teams were physically tough. They practiced against the b team boys and would get very physical with them. His post knew how to throw elbows to open up on the inside. And they had better rebound and shot endless amount of free throws. Great prep coach just couldn't adjust at the state level 5 on 5.

Edited March 10, 2017 by anotherback

[BCBearsDen]

Good info Anotherback. "Coach Smiddy" as you say was a legend and a great friend of mine for many decades. That's a fair assessment regarding the adjustment to 5 on 5. He did however win a ton of games even after the transition. And Buc is right it's been about 40 years since we won the State. I didn't know the part about never winning another game in the state though. Good info throughout this topic though. Thanks to all who have contributed. Go Bears!

[anotherback]

Good info Anotherback. "Coach Smiddy" as you say was a legend and a great friend of mine for many decades. That's a fair assessment regarding the adjustment to 5 on 5. He did however win a ton of games even after the transition. And Buc is right it's been about 40 years since we won the State. I didn't know the part about never winning another game in the state though. Good info throughout this topic though. Thanks to all who have contributed. Go Bears!

I talked to him a lot about his Service days. I assume you know the soft spoken guy was a pretty good boxer in his day. He'd give most of his players nicknames and drove that Winnebago to the state. Sold Cokes and Crackers out of his office in the gym back then during class. If you didn't want to go by the cafeteria you could walk over and Coach would hook you up. He didn't make much cause it was cheap. 25cent cokes and 15 cent crackers.

[BCBearsDen]

"Soft Spoken" but could really motivate those girls quietly. I rode in that old Winnebago several times. Great memories with my old buddy. Got an old fashioned Sugar high in his office too many times! Played golf with him and loved to talk about his service/ boxing days. Heck of Coach and heck of a guy.