Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 9, 1993 TAG: 9305090060
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
If and when Virginia moves its Group A and AA girls' basketball programs from the fall to the winter, Cantrell will have a tough decision.
As coach of the girls' and boys' basketball programs at Floyd County, Cantrell will have to decide whether to give up one of the teams or continue coaching both.
"People here have asked me what I'd do. I would hate to try and make a decision," said Cantrell.
Cantrell's daughter Melissa and son Travis play basketball at the school. His wife, Gayle, is the statistician. So it's more than just a love of coaching that keeps Cantrell teaching young players from early August until nearly the end of March.
Cantrell also is a successful coach. Both of his teams made the Group A state tournament this year. Next fall, his girls' team is expected to be among the best in the state, considering that most of this year's squad returns, including leading scorer and second-team All-Timesland player Lynette Nolley.
"If they move girls' basketball and the varsities play the same night, I might just try to coach both teams. That's if scheduling [of practices] allows it," Cantrell said. "My wife and I have talked about it. I want to coach both my children. Both programs are strong, and the kids work real hard. I enjoy working with both programs. Whether I was coaching my children, it still would be a tough decision."
If Cantrell ends up coaching both teams in the winter, he might deserve a medal.
In many states, when girls' and boys' teams play doubleheaders, there is about 20 minutes between games. If Cantrell tried to coach both teams, he immediately would have to forget the first game, win or lose, so he could devote his full attention to the second contest.
Some coaches have a hard time forgetting a game, if it's a tough loss or win, for days or weeks.
"I don't think it would be that difficult for me. The way it is right now, I'm going the year around," Cantrell said. "When I win or lose a real close game, even down the stretch, I don't feel good until I get back in the gym and have practice the next day.
"Say I lose a close game in the opener. It's going to make me feel good to jump back out there and compete. I've watched our junior varsity [which now plays the first game]. I've groaned with them just as if I was coaching.
"My toughest job will be in practice to prepare two teams to play. I hope it never comes down to this because I enjoy coaching both teams a great deal."
If teams from the Mountain Empire District decide to play girls' and boys' games on different days or in opposite gyms on the same day, Cantrell would face scheduling problems that might force him to make a choice.
Either way, Lloyd Bird athletic director Charles Lester says Cantrell is in for tough times. Lester was coach of both teams when the Central Region moved girls' basketball from fall to winter five years ago. For three years, he coached both teams, and at least four times a year there were doubleheaders. Otherwise, the boys' and girls' teams played on separate days.
"I was gone every night when they played on separate days," Lester said. "When they played doubleheaders, I'd coach the girls and let my assistants take the boys, get them dressed and talk to them until the game was over.
"It's tough, really tough. I wouldn't want to do it again. I wouldn't do it again. When you don't play doubleheaders, you're practicing all the time. Sometimes I would practice one team from 2 until 4, shower, get dressed and leave to coach a game."
Cantrell hopes Virginia never moves Group AA and A girls' basketball from fall to winter in competition with the boys' programs for gym space.
"I don't see how it's going to work," he said. "I feel like it will be inconvenient for schools our size with our gym size and coaches available to coach."
by CNB