|
Bport hires new hoops coach
Published June 23, 2009
For the second time in less than two months, the Brazosport Lady Ships have a new basketball coach.
In April, Susan Davis was hired to take over the program after Billy Johnson resigned midway through the 2008-09 campaign. Volleyball head coach Diana Davis took over and finished the year until Susan Davis was hired.
But things didn’t work out for Susan Davis. So June 16, long-time Lamar Consolidated girls basketball coach Rocky Roberts was hired.
“This is an opportunity for me to also be the girls coordinator, which is something I’ve been looking at lately,” Roberts said. “I also felt like it was time for me to move on after 12 years at Lamar Consolidated. It was time in my career to seek other opportunities.”
In his nine seasons at the helm with the Lady Mustangs, Roberts accounted for 182 wins and guided Lamar Consolidated to the playoffs the last four seasons. This year, the Lady Mustangs dropped a 45-41 contest to Angleton in the first round.
Lamar’s deepest run was in 2008, when it lost to eventual state finalist Dickinson in the region quarterfinals. That year, the Lady Mustangs finished 28-5.
“It has been about 10 or 11 years since (the Lady Ships have) been successful, but one of the main things that we need to do right away is get their numbers up,” Roberts said. “We also need to get these girls out for this team, and I think a lot of that comes with the personality of the coach.
“When we came to Lamar, their numbers were down,” he said. “But once we started getting some success and the system working, those numbers picked up. This past year, we had 60 to 70 girls in our basketball program.”
After retiring from the Army in 1992, Roberts entered the coaching and teaching ranks. He got his start on the hoops court at Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Fla.
“They had won three games in three years at this Florida school, and on our second year there, we won their first district championship,” Roberts said. “It took a positive attitude to turn around that program. But once we got that right, things just fell in place for us.”
Roberts arrived at Lamar Consolidated in 1997, coaching subvarsity until taking over varsityin 1999.
“I am very defensive-minded, but we like to get up and down the floor quickly,” Roberts said. “So far, we’ve brought success everywhere we’ve been, and usually we’ve been blessed because it’s happened in our second or third year.”
Brazosport finished 4-8 in District 24-4A this year, and extended its playoff drought to nine seasons.
Joel Luna is the sports editor for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 237-0160.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
|
|
 |
|
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
