Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 12, 1990 TAG: 9003123157
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Park View-Sterling coach stayed on the sidelines a year ago when applications were sought for the vacant PH job. This year, though, he was one of the first to inquire about the job that was advertised in early January.
"I called immediately to let them know I was interested," Scott said. "I wanted to get the process started."
Scott follows Dennis Vaught, who was chosen last year, as the Patriots' coach. Vaught resigned in mid-season after making a racial slur against a Patrick Henry opponent, Newport News Homer Ferguson, during a halftime talk.
Scott, 47, became the frontrunner despite going up against Gar-Field assistant Jim Hall, who had lost out to Vaught last year. Scott was head coach at old Clifton Forge High in Alleghany County. His combined record is 142-79-3, but 103 victories came at Group AA Park View-Sterling, which he guided to a Division 4 title two years ago.
So where was Scott last year? "My youngest daughter [Alison] graduates [this year] from Park View. I didn't want to move in her senior year," he answered.
Free of that obligation, Scott and his wife, Frankie, made up their mind to move away from Northern Virginia and it's huge population explosion.
"I asked Frankie to pick three locations where we could move if something became available," said Scott. "She picked Winchester, Harrisonburg and Roanoke.
"The traffic up there, I don't even want to describe what it's like. I enjoyed my years at Park View. But it was not the place where Frankie and I wanted to spend another 10 years."
Scott said he was willing to make a parallel move to another Group AA school, but the position at PH was more appealing in that it is a Group AAA team. However, he didn't show an interest in the opening at Group AA Alleghany, which is an hour's drive from Roanoke.
"I knew nothing about the material in the [Patriots'] program. I talked to [William Fleming coach] Sherley Stuart and [former PH coach] Willis White [now at Salem] at a meeting," said Scott about his prior knowledge of the job.
Scott plans to bring no assistant coaches from Park View. The makeup of his staff will depend on which assistants remain and the open teaching slots in the school. Scott is a physical education teacher.
His years at Park View were successful from more than just a won-lost record. Two of his former players, running back Allen Pinkett (Notre Dame) and linebacker Jeff Lageman (Virginia), play in the National Football League.
Scott met with the Patrick Henry team today. Though he won't return permanently until school is out in June, he hopes to implement an off-season program.
"I'll talk with some of the assistant coaches today. Our spring break is a week earlier than the one here. I'll come back and try to get a program going at that time," said Scott.
Patrick Henry principal Dr. Elizabeth Lee said that the opening attracted more than 40 applications, which was more than last year. The committee interviewed 11 finalists.
by CNB