Coaching news

>Central Private has announced that head football coach Lyn Lumley officially resigned yesterday. Lumley was hired on at Central Private in early spring to replace the retiring Mike Longmire but a serious family medical emergency in California on Sunday night resulted in Lumley resigning. “The kids loved him,” said Central Private board member Ryan Torres. “We had one of the biggest turnouts ever of kids wanting to play football and we wanted him to return but he felt like it wouldn’t be fair to the kids.”

Former Bayou head coach Terry King has been hired to head up both the football and boys basketball teams.

Central Private also announced the hiring of Michelle Yawn as the new girls basketball coach and Shelly Cothell as girls softball coach.

>John Harris is the new boys basketball coach at Manchester Academy. Harris, an Indianola graduate, was an assistant at Hillcrest Christian this past year.

>Eddie Miller has been named the new head basketball coach at Amite School Center. Miller is a 1985 graduate of Parklane Academy and has coached at Centreville Academy and Humphreys Academy.

Historic era coming to an end

Southern Sports & Travel

Success in high school athletics is often measured by one simple piece of data, championships.

The girls’ basketball program at Leake Academy reeled off an unprecedented seven consecutive state championships and MAIS powerhouse Jackson Prep adds multiple state titles to their trophy case each year but gone unnoticed has been an incredible coaching career that produced 32 state championships in 16 seasons.
Silliman girls’ track coach Sharon Kline has announced that she is stepping down from the position she has held since 1998. Kline, who was promoted to Athletic Director at Silliman in 2005, ends her stint with a remarkable resume that few can match.

Kline’s resume includes 15 girls track state championships, 8 girls cross country state titles and 9 boys cross country state crowns. Also 19 district championships, 16 south state championships and 11 consecutive state titles.

Kline has been at Silliman since the fall of 1980 and started helping then track coach John Allen Phares by keeping stats in the early 90’s when her son Chip was running cross country. It was soon after that when Kline was hooked on the sport.

“My daughter Kaylan was at one of the meets when she was in the sixth grade and Coach Phares asked her to run just for fun,” said Kline. “She finished first and totally blew me away, I became obsessed with this sport.”

When Phares left Silliman Kline took over the boys and girls cross country teams and while only 7 was needed for each team she had over 40 runners but decided to keep them all because of her enjoyment in seeing them progress.

“Cross Country is not a spectator sport but it’s so gratifying to watch the progress of the kids,” said Kline. “It takes dedication and it carries over into their everyday lives and that is evident in the fact that a majority of the Cross Country runners that I coached were also the better students in school.”

Kline ran track in high school and summer programs but the sport had evolved so much by the time she took over at Silliman. To fill the void of inexperience she watched videos constantly.

Of the 15 state championship girls track teams one stands alone to Kline. “The senior class of 2007 was hands down the best team I ever coached.” That squad included seniors Taylor Tynes, Kameryn Kline, Jamie Brian, Emma Sones and Molly Adkins.

Keeping interest in a program is not always an easy task but Kline summed it up in precise terms. “When there is success in a program everyone wants in but a coach has to make each person feel that they played a vital role in the program.”

2013 Class AA State Champions - 11th consecutive title

Kline will remain the Athletic Director at Silliman and a replacement to fill her shoes has not been named as of yet but while she is stepping aside her love for track will remain.

“I truly love coaching track and if you are obsessed like I am it will consume your life,” said Kline. “I now have three grandchildren that I adore and love spending time with.”

The time and commitment involved in building a strong track program is sometimes overlooked but Kline added perspective to the issue.

“Silliman is one of the few schools in the south that has a track and we host three huge invitational meets, a district meet and the south state meet. There is so much more involved in coaching than just competing and unless you have put on a meet before no one really understands the time and manpower that it takes to do this.”

Many at Silliman have benefited from Kline’s dedication and steadfastness over the past 20 years and her spot in the MAIS Coaches Hall of Fame is waiting but her passion for the sport leaves the door open in the future.

“I will not rule out coaching track in the future,” said Kline. “I love all the girls that I have coached and they know it but it’s time to experience and participate in other things.”

Kline’s coaching legacy is cemented at Silliman and her contribution to the MAIS and girls track is one worth celebrating. She quietly and diligently achieved excellence during her time as head coach and earned her place at the table amongst the very best coaches in the long, storied history of the MAIS.

“I am thankful that my husband and children were so supportive of me during the last 20 years. I will miss this special time that I’ve had but I’m ready to move on.”

Silliman Institute released the following statement: Sharon has been a devoted leader and role model to all of the students and athletes of Silliman Institute.  Her character and work ethic are unmatched.  Her coaching abilities will be missed. Sharon will remain Silliman's Athletic Director and will also continue to teach Biology.  

Bayou announces new A.D. and football coach

By Kristy Kitchings

Bayou Academy is pleased to announce the hiring of Jimmy Hicks as the Athletic Director, Head of Football Operations and High School Head Football Coach.

Hicks is a graduate of Freed-Hardman University in Henderson, TN and brings a wealth of knowledge to the position from his time as a player and coach.  

“We are extremely excited about the appointment of Coach Hicks as our new Athletic Director and head football coach,” said Board of Director President, Bob Reed.  “His wealth of experience is sure to continue the great success of our football program.  Coach Hicks is also someone who is extremely familiar with our tradition of excellence and will continue to build

on that as we look to the future.”

Hicks comes to Bayou Academy from Heritage Academy where he served as offensive coordinator for the varsity team along with other duties.  Hicks aided leading the Patriots to the 2012 State Championship Title in AAA Division 2.    He served as the head football coach for Tunica Academy from 2009-2012.  He holds a coaching record of 28 wins and nine losses in his career.

“My wife and I lived in Tunica for a little over three years and we fell in love with the Delta and I have always had a great respect for Bayou Academy over the years.  At some of the different schools I have coached at we played Bayou and I always wanted the opportunity to be a part of the school,” said Hicks.

“I am looking forward to getting to know the boys.  I became a coach to make a difference in the lives of young men.  My goal is to teach them what is right and wrong both on and off the field and wins and losses will come and go.  I truly want to be a good role model and make them productive citizens.  I want to make an impact on these young men,” added Hicks.

Hicks gets his coaching passion from his father who was a public school coach and the two reunited during Hicks time in Tunica as his father served as defensive coordinator.  “I look forward to working with Coach Steve Hitt and Coach Will Reed.  I have met with both of them and am excited about next season,” added HIcks.

Hicks has recently met with the parents and players of the junior high football team but states that he is waiting until the baseball season is over before meeting with the varsity team.  “I respect that these kids play more than one sport and I do not want to interrupt their season,” said Hicks.

According to the Colts new skipper he already has a plan of action for the summer and getting to know “his boys”.   “I am really excited about this summer.  We are going to take the summer to really get to know each other.   We are going to build some team unity and as a new coach we need to do some serious team bonding,” added Hicks.  

Hicks already has plans in motion for the varsity Colts this summer with a seven on seven program that will consist of 20 summer games.  “We plan on taking the team to the University of Mississippi and hopefully our plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi will fall into place.  We are also going to join a Delta league and even host a game or two at Bayou.”

Hicks is married to his wife Jarae and they have five daughters Carley ( 15 ), Cheyanne ( 10 ), Lala ( 8), Bella ( 3 ) and Sophie ( 1 ).

Cooke commits to Mississippi State

Columbia Academy kicker Logan Cooke informed Southern Sports & Travel this evening that he has verbally committed to play football at Mississippi State. The 6'5" senior to be said in a call today that he was both excited and relieved and can now focus exclusively on his senior season at Columbia Academy now that he knows where he will continue his career.

Cooke converted on 36 of 39 PAT's this past season and set a Columbia Academy school record for points in a season by a kicker and points in a career by a kicker.

Cooke had offers from the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Louisiana-Monroe and had interest from several other D-1 programs.

Bobcat signs with MGCCC

Tanner Myatt, a recent graduate from Presbyterian Christian, has signed a letter of intent to play golf at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.  Myatt was part of the 2009-2010 Presbyterian Championship team.

Coaching News

>Oak Forest Academy has named Tony Salim as the new head baseball coach. Salim, a 2005 graduate of William Carey College, is credited to turning around the baseball program at Springfield High School in southeast Louisiana where he posted six straight winning seasons and five consecutive playoff appearances. Before Salim’s tenure began Springfield had never had a winning season.

Salim also was head coach at Natchitoches Central High School, assistant coach at Pearl River Community College and Bossier Parish Community College.

“We believe we have hired a quality coach that’s well connected at the next level and we are excited about the future of Oak Forest baseball,” said Oak Forest Athletic Director Jason Brabham.

>Magnolia Heights School has tabbed Marc Dukes as the new boys' head basketball coach replacing Russ Whiteside who has taken the same position at Pillow Academy. Dukes brings a wealth of experience to the varsity squad including coaching stints at Ole Miss, Northwest Mississippi Community College, Jones County Junior College, Raleigh High School and Athletic Director at Presbyterian Christian in Hattiesburg. 

>Bowling Green School has announced that Hutch Gonzales will serve as its' new head baseball coach replacing Matt Sessions. Gonzales, who at one time served as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Bowling Green, is a 2005 graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University where he was a member of the Lion’s football team. Gonzales had football stints in the CFL and Arena League and was a three sport star at Covington High School.

>New Glenbrook boys' head basketball coach Jeff Dalton will have a new gymnasium to start his era in. Construction is well underway to replace Glenbrook's gym which was lost due to a fire last year. The completion date is expected to be October.