Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 28, 1991 TAG: 9103280015
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
King, who over the past three years has been the state's most successful high school basketball coach, has applied for the boys' basketball coaching vacancy at Radford High School.
King says she did not apply to make a statement but because she believes she has the qualifications to do the job. In three years with King as coach, the Radford girls' basketball team has been to the Group AA final three times, won two championships and gone 70-14.
"I still don't know if this community is ready for a female role model in that capacity [as boys' basketball coach]," King said. "But I think I could generate some excitement if they truly want someone with basketball interest in that position.
"I'm curious to see the response. This will let me know who my supporters are."
The boys' basketball position opened earlier this month when long-time coach Buddy Martin resigned to devote time to his duties as the school's assistant principal.
The girls' basketball season is played in the fall, and King isn't ready to give that up. She hopes to keep that program and do the boys' coaching.
Such a scenario is not unique. Randy Coulling coaches boys' and girls' basketball at Waynesboro. His girls' team played in the state tournament this past fall for the second straight year. His boys' team made the Group AA tournament this winter for the first time in 31 years and won the title.
"I talked to Randy and he said handling practices that overlap were not a problem," said King, who coaches volleyball at Radford during the winter. "Another coach said, `Why not coach a sport that you truly love [like basketball] in the winter instead of one [volleyball] that you just like?' "
Claudia Dodson, Virginia High School League supervisor, says some women coached boys' teams in public schools in the 1940s. "But there have been none since World War II," she said.
There is not much comment from Radford officials. Martin said, "I don't know that Brenda is applying, but I'm not picking the coach so I won't comment."
Norm Lineburg, the athletic director and long-time football coach at Radford, said: "We've been advised by the superintendent not to make any comments on the position."
Wright would only say, "I have a practice of not commenting on personnel matters in any way." He refused to specify how the job will be filled or who would make the decision on the new coach.
George Wythe girls' basketball coach Mary Copenhaver, whose team beat Radford in the 1989 Group AA championship game, says if King applies, it could be good for women coaches.
"I think it takes a lot of courage. Just looking at our society as a whole, anytime a change is made, there are problems just because of prejudices. There will be no differences from any other situation where a woman has [tried] to enter a basically male-oriented position," said Copenhaver. "There would be pressure on her to perform, but I feel like a person can be qualified [for a boys' coaching job] whether they're a male or a female. And if they're qualified, they should be considered."
King, 28, said: "I truly love basketball. I debated asking if they want me to give up the girls, but I feel I've worked too hard, that there's a foundation. So I decided to keep the girls' position [no matter what].
"Even if I don't get the job, the barrier will be broken in terms of women applying for those [boys' basketball] positions."
by CNB