Volleyball Coaching Records

[vbinsider44]

I wanting to know the number of wins by some of the big time Coaches. I'm sure I'm leaving someone off, but know others will add and correct.

 

C Neely East Ridge has over 1600 wins #1 in Tenn and 3rd in nation.

S Thurman Red Bank 850ish

P Brock GPS 700ish

B Campbell Brentwood ??

B Whitaker Germantown ??

Moore Farragut 800ish

J Cockerham Father Ryan ???

T Berry Ravenwood/Page ???

L Johnson Soddy ???

[PHargis]

While I am not sure of the number of wins of many of these coaches, there were two who retired lately in East Tennessee. Dennis Ray had 617 I believe and someone else had over 800 in upper East Tennessee. Wins are important and a guide but what is equally important is the number of years. Coaches sometimes don't want to think about years but longivity tells something about the love of the sport. Barbara Campbell, the bubble gum chewing head coach of Brentwood High School, Jinx Cockerham head coach at Father Ryan are true Legends but both have been going to retire fot the last 10 years but like Coach Neely, are so much a part of the Sport in the State it would be a loss to not be able to see them. The same goes for many thru the State who have promoted the sport like Tracey Berry who made it a full time job in starting Clubs and coaching. She's to young to retire but has a lot of wins. There are others. Someone has the numbers.

There is another coach in Middle Tennessee who coached at Nashville Overton who has retired lately that spent a lot of time in the sport along with Campbell and Cockerham but the name escapes me. This is a very good subject and to recognize all of these great coaches for their time and wins is deserving.

Edited August 15, 2012 by PHargis

[vbinsider44]

You are correct years of coaching are important as well. DB's coach that retired up in East Tennessee would have had a few wins before she retired. I think Coach Neely would have the most wins in the nation, if TSSAA hadn't limit the number of games they can play. I think before the rule Bwood had a 70+ win season. The coaches that are ahead of coach Neely in wins are from Michigan which doesn't have limits of matches. Looking forward to another great high school volleyball season.

[sshsvbdad09]

Coach Shaffer leaves coaching after 27 succuseful years at Dobyns-Bennett and Sullivan East High Schools. She posted a record of 869 wins and 402 losses, 9 Conference Championships, 6 District Championships, 6 Region Championships, 1 State Championship, and 3 State Runner-up finishes.

[vbinsider44]

Wow, didn't know she had coached that long. What a great career.

[PHargis]

If you can just imagine, with all of the coaches involved, to coach a sport that many matches and that many years and that many hours and go thru the many issues they have had to go thru makes you know that this was a labor of love and respect for all of the players and schools and communities they were a part of. This is a group whose record may never be passed.

[bratman]

Good post! Not a lot of fun for us former dads who live out of state to read some of the recent junk. I need a volleyball fix!

 

I know he will get mad that I mentioned his name, but Coach Cantrell at Anderson County has to get some recognition. He has over 30 years in and is still going strong. He has only served as the head coach on two different occasions the last time he lost to East Ridge in the state finals and was named coach of the year. When my daughter played he was the associate head coach. He does not teach and before the tssaa allowed non faculty coaches he did so on an unofficial basis but is the driving force behind AC volleyball. He was the first coach of any sport from Anderson County to be put into the hall of fame. Several years ago the Knoxville paper tried to do a story on him because he had over 900 wins as an asst/head but he refused to give an interview. He told me that all of the focus should be on the players, not the coaches. I will admit that you either love him or hate him because of his intensity but every girl who every played for him would do anything for him, and he would do the same. He loved our daughters like they were his own. I played pro ball after college and I can honestly say he is the best coach I ever saw close up.

 

One of my favorite memories when my daughter played was at the state tourney, when all of the matches were played at the same

venue. During a break I sat in the corner after a big win in pool play and I saw Coach Neely come over to Coach Cantrell who was sitting by himself. I thought there was going to be and argument because these two old war horses at gone after each other during the match. Instead they hugged and sat down with each other. Soon after Coach Brock and Coach Shaffer walked by and joined in. They were all laughing and telling story and you could tell they genuinely cared for each other.

 

That night I asked him about it, and said I was surprised. He told me that the four of them had known each other for twenty years and that he respected all of the older coaches because they are why we have volleyball.

 

PH keep the posts focused on the positive sde of our sport. Thank you for helping celebrate these coaches. We will never have another group of Neelys, Cantrells, Shaffers etc. who worked so hard for so long. How these folks still have that intensity and passion is wonderful. As a former dad, thanks to all of you great coaches!

[vbinsider44]

I don't know coach Cantrell I do think he was a horseman from AC, but he sounds like a great man and coach. We are blessed in Chattanooga to have the Neelys, Brocks, and yes we have some young ones with the passion. We do need to celebrate the good things. Great post Bratman.

[PHargis]

Brat, need some of that reminising every so often. Good to hear from you

[orcat]

Coach Carmen Foster at OakRidge has to be on this list

[EhsVBCoach]

Coach Sherry Hooks MUST be on this list.  She is #2 in the state of TN with over 900 wins and was a recent inductee to the TSSAA Hall of Fame.  She made 18 trips to the state tournament in 21 years at Sullivan South.  She had 3 state championships and 2 state runner-up teams.  I believe that's all that needs to be said.  With Thurman and Shaffer both retired, Catherine Neeley is the only coach you can put above her.  

[coachjohnson]

Lorri Pointer Johnson has 588 high school wins. Coach Lorri

has taken South Young, Van Buren County, and Soddy Daisy to

State tournaments.

Interesting facts: Lorri and Sherry Hooks played volleyball

together at Carson Newman College. Lorri recorded 72 wins

while rebuilding the Carson Newman program in the mid 90's.