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George Rogers Clark coach Scott True resigned after 11 seasons as girls basketball coach at George Rogers Clark High¿School. True will take over a similar post at Lexington¿Catholic. True compiled a 179-135 record at Clark and led the Lady Cardinals to the 10th¿Region title in 2010. (James Mann/jmann@winchestersun.com / April 11, 2012) |
George Rogers Clark girls basketball coach Scott True said goodbye to one team and was introduced to another Tuesday.
True, who has spent the past 11 years as coach of the Lady Cardinals, stepped down and accepted a similar post at Lexington Catholic. True takes over for Chelsea Chowning, a former standout at the school who compiled a 39-24 record in two seasons at the helm. True was 179-135 at Clark and guided the team to the 10th¿Region title in 2010. In his last three seasons, the Lady Cards compiled a 61-31 record, including a 24-8 mark two years ago. In addition to the region title, Clark finished as region runner-up in 2009 and 2011.
“I’ve been privileged to be the coach (at Clark) for 11 years,” he said Tuesday night. “Anytime you get to coach at a place for 11 years, you feel very blessed and I do. This opportunity presented itself a couple of weeks ago and I looked into it a little bit and some things fell into place. I feel this is kind of the direction that God was planning and it’s a really good decision for me and my family.
“I decided this was an opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up.”
True met with his players and staff at Clark Tuesday and then was introduced to his new team in a span of 45 minutes.
“I made the decision (Monday), when things were finalized, but I met the team here (at Clark) and I didn’t want my current players to hear it from anybody else,” he said. “To tell them and the emotion of telling my staff was tough and really hard. It was a good day and I’m excited about it, but (it also) was a tough day.”
True leaves the program on solid ground, one of his goals when he took over the post more than a decade ago.
“One of the things we — my staff and my players, because they have been as much of the program as I have — wanted to do is to make this program a perennial contender within the 10th Region,” he said. “I feel like we have done that. A lot of people will look at the three years we were runner-up (in the region) and went to the state tournament, but that was a reward for our work. We got the feeder system back in place in the middle schools, we upgraded facilities and put in a weight room and that’s part of (the improvement process). Anytime you coach, you want to leave a program better than you found it and I certainly think we’ve been able to do that.”
True said the team’s 10th¿Region championship run three years ago is “something I’ll never forget,” but cherished his entire tenure as a memorable moment.
“There are so many memories there, from the players who helped lay the ground work to get us to that point, the coaches that I’ve had here. ... I think we’ve elevated things here a little bit. Anytime this team touches the floor, I will be cheering for them, as long as they’re not playing Lexington Catholic. I want them to do well and succeed and I know they will do that.”
True will continue to coach the boys tennis team through the end of the season.
“I committed here to finish the year teaching and finish out the year coaching the tennis team,” he said. “I’m going to do that and do it to the best of my ability. I’m under contract to teach here until May 22 and I’m going to do that. We’ll go over to Catholic, get some things in place and get started.”
True said the Lady Knights’ tradition was a factor in his decision to switch jobs at this point in his career.
“There is a lot of tradition there,” he said. “There is a lot to build on and fall back on. We’re going to rely on that and try to build some new traditions as well. The goal is to get to the (11th Region) finals and have a chance to go to the state tournament.
“The expectation level is high and I know that going in. We’re going to do like we did here, we’re going to work as hard as we can and try to get the best out of what you have. If you’re doing that — doing things the right way and treat the kids the right way, good things will happen.”
True, who has spent the past 11 years as coach of the Lady Cardinals, stepped down and accepted a similar post at Lexington Catholic. True takes over for Chelsea Chowning, a former standout at the school who compiled a 39-24 record in two seasons at the helm. True was 179-135 at Clark and guided the team to the 10th¿Region title in 2010. In his last three seasons, the Lady Cards compiled a 61-31 record, including a 24-8 mark two years ago. In addition to the region title, Clark finished as region runner-up in 2009 and 2011.
“I’ve been privileged to be the coach (at Clark) for 11 years,” he said Tuesday night. “Anytime you get to coach at a place for 11 years, you feel very blessed and I do. This opportunity presented itself a couple of weeks ago and I looked into it a little bit and some things fell into place. I feel this is kind of the direction that God was planning and it’s a really good decision for me and my family.
“I decided this was an opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up.”
True met with his players and staff at Clark Tuesday and then was introduced to his new team in a span of 45 minutes.
“I made the decision (Monday), when things were finalized, but I met the team here (at Clark) and I didn’t want my current players to hear it from anybody else,” he said. “To tell them and the emotion of telling my staff was tough and really hard. It was a good day and I’m excited about it, but (it also) was a tough day.”
True leaves the program on solid ground, one of his goals when he took over the post more than a decade ago.
“One of the things we — my staff and my players, because they have been as much of the program as I have — wanted to do is to make this program a perennial contender within the 10th Region,” he said. “I feel like we have done that. A lot of people will look at the three years we were runner-up (in the region) and went to the state tournament, but that was a reward for our work. We got the feeder system back in place in the middle schools, we upgraded facilities and put in a weight room and that’s part of (the improvement process). Anytime you coach, you want to leave a program better than you found it and I certainly think we’ve been able to do that.”
True said the team’s 10th¿Region championship run three years ago is “something I’ll never forget,” but cherished his entire tenure as a memorable moment.
“There are so many memories there, from the players who helped lay the ground work to get us to that point, the coaches that I’ve had here. ... I think we’ve elevated things here a little bit. Anytime this team touches the floor, I will be cheering for them, as long as they’re not playing Lexington Catholic. I want them to do well and succeed and I know they will do that.”
True will continue to coach the boys tennis team through the end of the season.
“I committed here to finish the year teaching and finish out the year coaching the tennis team,” he said. “I’m going to do that and do it to the best of my ability. I’m under contract to teach here until May 22 and I’m going to do that. We’ll go over to Catholic, get some things in place and get started.”
True said the Lady Knights’ tradition was a factor in his decision to switch jobs at this point in his career.
“There is a lot of tradition there,” he said. “There is a lot to build on and fall back on. We’re going to rely on that and try to build some new traditions as well. The goal is to get to the (11th Region) finals and have a chance to go to the state tournament.
“The expectation level is high and I know that going in. We’re going to do like we did here, we’re going to work as hard as we can and try to get the best out of what you have. If you’re doing that — doing things the right way and treat the kids the right way, good things will happen.”
