Heritage
Academy recently announced the hiring of Gary Harris to lead the Patriot varsity
and junior high boys basketball and girls fastpitch softball programs. Harris, a graduate of Mississippi State
University and a native of Crystal Springs, MS, brings over 13 years of
experience to Heritage.
Harris comes to Heritage
after a one year stint in Louisiana as head girls basketball and track coach at
Glenbrook School in Minden. His varsity
and junior varsity girls track teams recently captured their respective
district championships. The Lady Apache
junior varsity girls also claimed the 2012 district championship in
basketball. Before going to Glenbrook,
he guided the boys program at Presbyterian Christian School in Hattiesburg, MS
for three seasons. His 2009-2010 squad
set a school record for wins in a season after compiling a 26-10 mark and
advancing to the MAIS Overall Finals against 4 time defending champion
Madison-Ridgeland Academy. Following the
highly successful season, he was named “All-Area Coach of the Year” by the
Hattiesburg American and also district Coach of the Year. He has been tabbed to be the coach for the
MAIS All-Star game on four occasions.
His 2010 Lady Bobcat
fastpitch softball team captured the school’s first ever MAIS Class AAA State
Championship in the sport. Six of his
former players signed college scholarships to continue playing softball. Harris has been named as an MAIS All-Star
coach in softball on two separate occasions.
Prior to taking charge
of the PCS boys program, Harris coached the girls basketball, softball and
track programs at Kirk Academy in Grenada, MS.
While there, the Raiderettes advanced to the State Tournament and were
ranked in the Top 5 of the Class AA Clarion-Ledger rankings for most of the two
seasons he was there and won three district championships in track and junior
high girls basketball.
“I’m excited about the
opportunity to take the ingredients of what I believe can be two successful
programs here at Heritage and build them into winners,” said Harris. “I embrace the challenge of competing for
championships and developing young men and women who make a positive impact on
their school, community and world. Like
I told the kids when I met with them, it won’t be easy. But nothing worth having comes easily. We’re going to make sure the building blocks
of self-discipline, hard work and dedication are laid before we attempt to do
anything else. I can’t wait to get
started.”
“I want to thank Coach
Barrett Donahoe, the administration and Board of Directors for their confidence
and belief in my abilities to lead these programs. They certainly have this school heading in a
very positive direction and I’m glad to get to be a part of it.”
