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Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Who are the state’s top coaches?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
During the fall, AJC High opened and we picked from a pool of the 10 best football coaches to bring us immediate success. Well, it’s basketball season and we need boys and girls titles to go with that football championship.
We have combed the state, asking athletic directors, coaches and other sportswriters for their suggestions on two coaching hires. We came up with what we believe is a solid list of the best coaches out there. We list them in alphabetical order.
AJC Take Ten has made its list, but who do you think are the top coaches?
Girls
Jan Azar, Wesleyan: With three straight state titles on her resume, Azar has built a powerhouse program at the Gwinnett County school. She seems to get the most out of the talent she has and does a good job of developing that talent.
Garrett Black, Greenbrier: Described as the consummate coach, he is the son of a long-time Augusta area coach. He also has a softball title on his resume. Black has built the Wolfpack into a contender with pressure defense and transition scoring. Plus, his team wins with 5-foot-9 players in the post.
Alvin Copeland, Northeast-Macon: He is sort of an icon in the middle Georgia area. He’s won five state championships. Each year, his teams seem to be somewhere in the mix come playoff time.
Johnny Farmer, Fannin Co.: He has a couple state titles at a school that seems to get overlooked. With a miminum talent base, Farmer always seems to have his teams in contention. Farmer’s teams always seem to play a team-oriented style with good offensive execution.
Sheryl Fowler, Hillgrove: It should come as no surprise that the first-year Cobb County school has experienced a great deal of success. Fowler built a respected program at McEachern that reached the state playoffs the last nine seasons. She made some good hires for assistant coaches and helped staff the lower programs that will ensure continued success.
Dave LaBarrie, Heritage: He is credited with building Stone Mountain into a state contender during his 14 years at the school. LaBarrie left with a state title and as DeKalb County’s all-time winningest girls’ coach. He is starting to build the foundation for a dormant Hertitage program that has only one state playoff appearance in its history.
Wendell Lofton, Hephzibah: Lofton’s crowning moment came when his 2005 team went unbeaten and won the Class AAA title. Prior to that, Lofton had several finals appearance in AAAA. Each year, he graduates some good players, but his team is back in the playoff mix.
Ashley Phillips, Mill Creek: Talk about building from scratch, Phillips started the program at the Gwinnett County school. Mill Creek is a serious contender in Class AAAA. They are the only program in the state this season to give top-ranked Collins Hill a serious challenge.
Dennis Watkins, Stephenson: Each year the Jaguars graduate a talented senior class, but seem to have more talent waiting in the wings. Stephenson plays an unselfish style of ball and aggressive pressure defense. Watkins has built a respected program at the Stone Mountain school. He is also one of the best-dressed coaches in the state.
Jim Waller, Landmark Christian: Success has seemed to follow him at ever stop. He won three titles at Woodward while coaching a national player of the year. He built a solid foundation at Sandy Creek and won the region championship last season in his first year at Landmark Christian, which is the top-ranked team in Class A this season.
Boys
Courtney Brooks, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy: Some would argue that he has had two McDonald’s All-Americans to help win a pair of state titles. Dwight Howard and Javaris Crittenton will be the first to tell you that Brooks is a big reason for their success on and off the court. He gets credit for player development and putting the team in a position to be successful.
Scott Bracco, Dunwoody: Since taking over at the school, the Wildcats have been a consistent playoff contender. He jelled the talents of several players and they bought into his system. Bracco does a good job of preparation, which is a big reason the Wildcats have two consecutive state titles.
Russell Ellington, Beach: A living legend in the state. This marks the 40th anniversary of leading the Savannah school to its only GHSA title. He has coached on all levels and been successful. Ellington was the first African-American coach in the state to win a GHSA title in any sport.
Aaron Geter, Wilkinson County: He is another one of those coaches who knows what to do with talent. The Warriors are a consistent playoff contender. Geter, a pretty solid college player at Mercer, has a few state titles on his resume.
Doug Lipscomb, Wheeler: You can’t argue with success, and he has been super successful at the Cobb County school. Wheeler players buy into Lipscomb’s system. Wheeler travels around the country and has a lot of success against some of the top programs in the nation. Wheeler has four state titles under Lipscomb.
Eddie Martin, Norcross: He had some respectable teams during his tenure at Brookwood. Despite a lack of abundant talent, the Broncos were playoff contenders with one final four appearance. Martin has adjusted his coaching style to fit the talent at Norcross, which won state last year and was a finalist in 2005.
Milt Travis, Buford: Each year the Wolves graduate a solid team, but when you look up, the school is back in the final four. Buford usually gets a late start on the season because of the football success, but sticks around pretty deep in the basketball season.
Ray Tucker, Armuchee: Tucker had a good run at Calhoun before moving on to Armuchee. He has over 500 wins and numerous state titles.
Sharman White, Miller Grove: He is one of the young and promising coaches in the state. He rebuilt the program at Atlanta’s Carver High and led them to a finals appearance three years ago. He is starting to build a state-contender program at this DeKalb County school.
Carter Wilson, Decatur: There might not be a better bench coach in the state. He has not yet won a state title, but has lead Tucker and Decatur into the finals. He has served as mentor to several young coaches in the state.
Permalink | Comments (66) | Post your comment | Categories: Take Ten
Be responsible - it can mean life or death
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is about all teenagers as much as it is about high school athletes. This is about responsibility. This is about life and death.
Too often we read about young athletes with apparently bright futures who are killed in car accidents. The most recent tragedy on January 20 — Jackson wide receiver John Keye, who was going to sign with Kentucky — sounds the alarm again for the need for parents and coaches, teachers and administrators to stress to our kids the significance of doing what is right behind the wheel.
In Keye’s sad case, he and his girlfriend apparently were eating while driving — and not wearing their seatbelts. They ended up in a one-car accident in which they were thrown from the vehicle.
Over the Christmas break, former W.D. Muhammad star swimmer Luqman El-Amin died in a one-car accident after attending a game with his alma mater and Decatur High. And on and on.
Yearly, there are these stories that tug the heart, each of them almost always are the result of speeding, talking on cellphones, horsing around or some other act that can be described as irresponsible.
Obviously, more kids than not get to and fro with no problem. Most show they understand how dangerous driving can be.
But with a 15-year-old daughter, I know already my position will be to every day without fail remind, implore, beg her to be responsible behind the wheel.
Kids believe they are invincible, even as they mourn the loss of a classmate. They do not believe it could happen to them.
Well, it can, and not only is it critical that the adults hammer home the notion of defensive driving and responsibility at the helm of a car — it’s life and death.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Take 10: Ten who need to relax
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GHSA: Please relax and quietly dispose of the rule allowing state championship football games to end in a tie. You say it’s a sportsmanship issue, but why does beating someone in overtime make you a poor sport? It’s time to relax the rule. Pretty please.
The infatuation with recruiting: How many times and different ways can you report Cameron Heyward hasn’t decided where he’s going to college?
Cameron Heyward: The pressure of being the state’s biggest uncommitted recruit may be starting to get to the big fellow. He became sick over the weekend and had to cut his visit to Georgia short. No word on whether it was something he ate in Athens or a glimpse of the Vanderbilt game film that made him ill.
Irrational Parent: “My son’s the best back-up holder in the county. I just don’t understand why he’s not getting looked at. And how come he hasn’t got any coverage?”
Parents of Minnesota high school wrestlers: They can take a sigh of relief now that the state has suspended competition until Feb. 6, after an outbreak of herpes infected 24 wrestlers on 10 teams.
The Bears fans who held up a sign that read, “Bears finishing what Katrina started” during the NFC Championship Game: Why don’t you guys go relax in Baghdad? Go Colts.
Over-dramatic home-team announcer: “Pitch goes back to Brown. He heads left, cuts up the field. FINDS A CREASE … HE COULD … OH. Two yards.”
Maya Moore: Relax … take it easy on the girls, Maya. We’d like to have some kind of drama at the state tournament. Luckily, Gwinnett County’s leader in points, rebounds and steals is worth the price of admission on her own.
Irate golf guy: You can spot him by simply listening for a rant about the bad break he got on the shank he hit out of bounds or by looking up in the air for flying clubs, after a missed putt ruins his sparkling round of 116.
10, O.J. Mayo: Why would the nation’s No. 1 basketball recruit, who has been called “the best guard since LeBron James, engage in a trash-talking session that got him kicked out the game? Mayo received two technical fouls and made contact with a referee, sending the official to the floor. On fuzzy video, the ref’s fall appears exaggerated. But, young Mayo, you’re headed to L.A. next year and will instantly become the biggest star at USC. Just relax.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: David Purdum, Take Ten: GWX
