Lindy King resigns as Rockvale girls basketball coach, named Riverdale assistant principal

First-year Rockvale girls basketball coach Lindy King, who won a state championship at M.L. King in Nashville, has resigned and accepted an assistant principal position at Riverdale.

King informed her team of her decision on Tuesday.

"I love my Rockvale family," King said. "I love my girls. I have so much respect for them and their families because they have been nothing but supportive."

King went 11-16 in Rockvale's inaugural season, losing to Oakland in the second round of the District 7-AAA tournament. Prior to coaching the Lady Rockets, she went 90-32 in four years at Stewarts Creek, leading the Lady Red Hawks to the Class AAA state tournament in 2017. Her 2015 M.L. King team won the 2015 Class AA state championship.

King said she received her master's degree in 2010 but hadn't considered going into administration with the basketball success her previous teams had.

"My career took a different path than what I had originally taken, but administration came back in focus," King said. "It's a great opportunity. I feel like I've worked really hard for this. It's not something I take lightly.

"I think leadership in a school is so important to be successful."

Rockvale principal Steve Luker said the school will begin a search for a replacement.

"We're going to try find the best fit for Rockvale," Luker said. "We're a young program. Those are big shoes to fill. 

"She was just an important part of our (Rockvale) family. She was a great school person."

King, who lives in Smyrna, wasn't looking for an administrative position. But she couldn't turn down the opportunity to remain in Rutherford County as an assistant principal under first-year Riverdale principal Tamera Blair.

"It wasn't like I was looking to go here or there. This opportunity just presented itself," King said. 

King said she will continue to be involved in coaching AAU basketball as her administrative job allows.

Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.