Another Coach Leaving

[Eddie]

I didn't think the good ole boy system had very much to do with the last two hirings at LHS. The program was in such bad shape that they had to beg boys assistant Darian Brown to take it, and he did a great job. When he left they struck gold with Ashley Johnson.

[PHargis]

Being around at that time, I can attest to every word of tht post. There are many who wanted to know who the selection committee was and hire them. Darian did get hired away. And the boys up the road thought LHS was stopped but little did they know someone had another card in the deck and likely, like someone said this one might be good enough to stay a good while. There's enough talent to last for a good while.

[LostTime]

I didn't think the good ole boy system had very much to do with the last two hirings at LHS. The program was in such bad shape that they had to beg boys assistant Darian Brown to take it, and he did a great job. When he left they struck gold with Ashley Johnson.

 

Darian Brown was not begged to take the job. He applied for and pursued the position. He was Scott Benson's second hire for the girls basketball position. He was also the AD when Coach Dilligard was hired. As everyone knows the second hire worked out much better, although it should be noted that Coach Dilligard inherited a roster that had lost several seniors that played most of the minutes the previous season and also had a solid senior-to-be post player decided she no longer wanted to play basketball. No matter who took the job under those circumstances was likely to see some level of drop off. When Coach Brown took the job 3 years later the program was drifting, but there was some young talent to work with and he did a good job developing it. Coach Johnson came into a good situation with the confidence level high with the team coming off a sectional appearance. They finished strong her first season, but finished with a overall losing record. Her second season ended with a winning record, but the team faded down the stretch. After looking at the schedule they beat 3 AAA schools with winning records (Wilson Central 15-13, Creekwood 18-11 and Cookeville 19-12) and none after beating Wilson Central on Jan. 5. In their last 11 games they went 4-7 and lost in the first round of the district tournament. I think Coach Johnson did a good job, but I don't know if I would describe it as "striking gold". I am not saying that she was not a good coach, but I think it should be kept in perspective.

Over the last 4 years Lebanon has gone 60-65 with some very big wins, a district championship and a sectional appearance. The last 2 seasons Barbara Hallums coached the Devilettes were 32-22 with wins over Riverdale with Krystal Horton, Mt. Juliet with Alysha Clark and a victory at Jackson County over a team that eventually won the AA championship. Maybe there should be a little more appreciation for Coach Hallums. I get little tired of everyone seeming to believe that Lebanon had been in the dumps for a long period before the Brown/Johnson era. Yes, the bottom dropped out for a 3 year period, but Barbara Hallums also inherited a program in shambles and turned it into a very competitive program in the old 7-AAA before she retired in 2003. So this is just an attempt to put the recent history of Devilette basketball into some perspective.

[PHargis]

With a school like LHS, there is so much tradition and many memories and in the last 3-4 years, many have gotten on this site and reminised at length about things that had happened and as time goes on it will happen again. Some old memories occured at that school and in that gym. While not from Lebanon, I attended games for a number of years and can remember some spectacular thingts which happened and some really fine players. A little later I again watched the same things happen. There are a lot of ghosts that fly around the gym every time I'm there and it never changes. I can see it now and when its torn down, a lot of people will be sad but remember the many things, the many coaches, and the many players that played there. The players today need to realize the tradition that facility is steeped in and when they step on the floor, as has been in the past, it has been very difficult to beat the home team there no matter their record. And their attitude has always been that in that gym, in their house, they think they will win. Those three years were painful to watch. That was a side I have never seen and the fans there had never experienced and i can tell,even from the younger players and fans, they never want that to happen again and they want to find a way back to State, somehow. LHS has a lot of Pride and have been there and done that. Good luck in finding your coach in the next couple of weeks and keep your team together and keep another freshman group together coming in. They need your support.

[katyna36]

Look LHS has had up and downs don't get me wrong but it year we have had a great group of girls and coaches. The devilettes and coaches have had to fight for everything and show pride through it all the politic just to make sure they have the best as the other schools in county. Lebanon has had and does have a great group of girls. The girls will come back in the years to come even more as they did in the past. So any negative remarks are not needed. The individuals interviewing for the coaching position will make the right decision and Lebanon will succeed. Lebanon needs support and people that care not criticism every time. Thank you for the good comments [/color]

[senator]

I can rem. when Cambell had some power houses and I saw a very good Lebanon team in the midsouth classic last year at Jackson county with some young players.They need a good coach for the long hall with disipline thats going to stay . I think with many more coaching changes with the competion they play year in and year out will make it diffucult to stay competive. I;ve seen good programs really suffer with wholesale changes every year or two in their coaches. I wish the team well and hope they will get a great hire for their team.

[Lovbasketball]

Well I would like to refine my earlier comment about the good ole boy system. I feel like the AD and whoever chooses the next LHS Coach will do a great job. I suppose my comment is a reflection of how the school as a whole has been given the short end of the stick. But let me say that the staff at LHS is the most dedicated in the county from what I have seen. I trust that they make the right choice and will give the program the best qualified staff possible. The talent is obviously there so let us all pray that the team welcomes whomever the choice is and know that they are there for them to succeed. Ashley was an asset to the program and whoever takes her place should be just another piece of the pie. As I stated we can all trust that the AD does the very best choosing the next coach and cares to see the team succeed. Success could be even more if the true blue fans shows themselves at the games and give the team the fan base that they desire you know the whole program does not just revolve around the players the coach anyone who cares about the program need to understand the importance of the fans to these young girls, Sort a like the saying you build the field they will come....

[LostTime]

I have heard that there were over 40 applicants for the job. Does anyone know who some of the coaches are that have applied and which ones have been interviewed? Also, does anyone have any idea of when LHS is planning on naming the new coach?

[katyna36]

I have heard that there were over 40 applicants for the job. Does anyone know who some of the coaches are that have applied and which ones have been interviewed? Also, does anyone have any idea of when LHS is planning on naming the new coach?

 

 

Heard from one of the parents today, that the players and present coaches are having a meeting tonight about the new coach. Don't know whats up with that but the district is stayin quite on the issue for now.

[PHargis]

I would hope that all are confidential but I also would hope that after a reasonable time that a time limit would be given. Afterall anyone who would be interested likely would have a time limit on their end also. While not official, 40? Visited and interviewed? Security Check? Offered? The issue. takes a little time and a lot of work on the interviewer side, I would say. Lots of pressure to make sure its right, this is a personnel issue that deals with some 25 student/athletes and likely teaching certifications and doing it right. The school wants it right, the AD want it right, the parents want it right and the student/athletes want it right. The community want it right. The players are in the Shelbyville Team Camp this week(three teams) and if posted correctly, have three more camps. Great organization and a great knowledge of what is going on and to have 40 applicants, the High School Coaching community appreciates the professionalism being shown by LHS on this hire. This is serious business.

[Eddie]

The Wilson Post website is reporting OVC hall of famer Larry Joe Inman has been named as the new coach of the Devilettes.

[LostTime]

The Wilson Post website is reporting OVC hall of famer Larry Joe Inman has been named as the new coach of the Devilettes.

This report is accurate. Coach Inman retired from EKU in 2008, but I guess the he hasn't gotten the coaching bug completely out of his system yet. It will be interesting to see how he does against the Brandon's and his old school, MJHS.