After taking young coaches looking to move up the ladder over the last few years, Garrard County has hired a veteran as its next boys basketball coach.
Dennis Pardue, who has won 63 percent of his games in 14 years at Todd County Central and Russellville, was named Garrard’s head coach Monday, replacing Brandon Cooper, who left to be an assistant at Pulaski County.
“The last couple of coaches, we’ve gotten the young up-and-comer, and they’ve left us. The number one thing I liked about Dennis is his 14 years of experience, he has been very stable,” Garrard athletics director Kalem Grasham said. “His head coaching experience was very important for us. He’s been places eight and six years, so we’ve got someone who is not going to be looking around each year.”
Pardue has a 247-146 record in his 14 seasons, never posting a losing record. He has won six district titles and finished as a regional runner-up once. In 12 of his 14 seasons, he has taken teams to the regional tournament, and he won three All “A” Classic regional titles.
Pardue spent the last eight seasons at Russellville, where he went 142-90 and won three 13th District titles. He resigned in March after the Panthers went 17-12, winning the 13th District title and falling to Warren Central in the first round of the 4th Region Tournament.
“My son (Davis) was a senior, and I felt like it was time to step away and look at other areas in my life. But after a month or two, I realized it was something I didn’t want to get out of,” Pardue said his decision to get back into coaching. “I feel like coaching was something I was placed here to do. It’s something I love, and it’s something my family has always been involved in.”
Pardue said his former assistant, Rusty Clark, is a former Garrard player and coach, and always had great things to say about the community and what a great place to live Garrard was.
“It was an opportunity for my wife (Diane) and I to look at other areas of the state. We’ve always been impressed with the Lexington area, and thought it would be a place we’d like to live,” Pardue said.
Pardue will be the Lions’ sixth coach in the past eight seasons.
Scott Bolin, the current Garrard girls coach, was the boys coach for three seasons. Lee DeForest then coached the team for two years. Dave McDaniel took over, but switched roles early in the season with assistant coach Kevin Wheeler, who became the interim coach. Brad Sizemore lasted one season before leaving for North Laurel, and Cooper was hired last July.
Pardue beat out four other finalists for the job, and Grasham said 25 people applied for the post.
“I was very humbled at the quality of applicants,” said Grasham, who added that Pardue had the “high character, and high morals” that he wants associated with Garrard’s programs.
Pardue will meet with the team for the first time Wednesday.
Since he was a late hire, Pardue did not get a chance to work with the Lions, who return all but two players off a 12-18 team, during the summer. He said he knows is playing from behind.
“The summer is really crucial for individual improvement. I think that’s where you get better,” he said. “I’ll meet with the team Wednesday and we’ll set up individual workouts (for players not in fall sports).”
Pardue said he emphasizes defense, and taking care of business on and off the court.
”I’ve always had very disciplined teams, on and off the floor, ones that play hard and compete,” he said. “Ones that always play great defense. I think always take great pride in that. I think that’s one thing that wins championships, and one thing that goes unnoticed.
“I’m just an old-fashioned coach. But I think that’s where the game starts, on the defensive end. We’ll play up-tempo, we’ll run when we can and press when we have the personnel. One of the most important things is we have players with high character. I want players on the floor that are good people who will represent the school and community in a positive way.”
Dennis Pardue, who has won 63 percent of his games in 14 years at Todd County Central and Russellville, was named Garrard’s head coach Monday, replacing Brandon Cooper, who left to be an assistant at Pulaski County.
“The last couple of coaches, we’ve gotten the young up-and-comer, and they’ve left us. The number one thing I liked about Dennis is his 14 years of experience, he has been very stable,” Garrard athletics director Kalem Grasham said. “His head coaching experience was very important for us. He’s been places eight and six years, so we’ve got someone who is not going to be looking around each year.”
Pardue has a 247-146 record in his 14 seasons, never posting a losing record. He has won six district titles and finished as a regional runner-up once. In 12 of his 14 seasons, he has taken teams to the regional tournament, and he won three All “A” Classic regional titles.
Pardue spent the last eight seasons at Russellville, where he went 142-90 and won three 13th District titles. He resigned in March after the Panthers went 17-12, winning the 13th District title and falling to Warren Central in the first round of the 4th Region Tournament.
“My son (Davis) was a senior, and I felt like it was time to step away and look at other areas in my life. But after a month or two, I realized it was something I didn’t want to get out of,” Pardue said his decision to get back into coaching. “I feel like coaching was something I was placed here to do. It’s something I love, and it’s something my family has always been involved in.”
Pardue said his former assistant, Rusty Clark, is a former Garrard player and coach, and always had great things to say about the community and what a great place to live Garrard was.
“It was an opportunity for my wife (Diane) and I to look at other areas of the state. We’ve always been impressed with the Lexington area, and thought it would be a place we’d like to live,” Pardue said.
Pardue will be the Lions’ sixth coach in the past eight seasons.
Scott Bolin, the current Garrard girls coach, was the boys coach for three seasons. Lee DeForest then coached the team for two years. Dave McDaniel took over, but switched roles early in the season with assistant coach Kevin Wheeler, who became the interim coach. Brad Sizemore lasted one season before leaving for North Laurel, and Cooper was hired last July.
Pardue beat out four other finalists for the job, and Grasham said 25 people applied for the post.
“I was very humbled at the quality of applicants,” said Grasham, who added that Pardue had the “high character, and high morals” that he wants associated with Garrard’s programs.
Pardue will meet with the team for the first time Wednesday.
Since he was a late hire, Pardue did not get a chance to work with the Lions, who return all but two players off a 12-18 team, during the summer. He said he knows is playing from behind.
“The summer is really crucial for individual improvement. I think that’s where you get better,” he said. “I’ll meet with the team Wednesday and we’ll set up individual workouts (for players not in fall sports).”
Pardue said he emphasizes defense, and taking care of business on and off the court.
”I’ve always had very disciplined teams, on and off the floor, ones that play hard and compete,” he said. “Ones that always play great defense. I think always take great pride in that. I think that’s one thing that wins championships, and one thing that goes unnoticed.
“I’m just an old-fashioned coach. But I think that’s where the game starts, on the defensive end. We’ll play up-tempo, we’ll run when we can and press when we have the personnel. One of the most important things is we have players with high character. I want players on the floor that are good people who will represent the school and community in a positive way.”
