Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 1, 1994 TAG: 9412210030
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
He knew that because in the 1970s Pope, who then wore a full beard as a player at Bridgewater College, used to play against the Maroons.
``We came down there and Roanoke College always drilled us,'' recalled Pope.
From such beginnings, it's hard to imagine Pope having a warm feeling toward the Roanoke Valley.
Today, 14 years later, Pope, 36, is one of Virginia's most successful young high school basketball coaches. He has built Northside into one of Timesland's most consistent Group AA programs, guiding the Vikings to the state's final four two of the last three years.
For all his success, Pope says he's not looking to move up to a Group AAA job in another venue or even into a Group AA school that might have more tradition and better athletes than Northside.
Pope likes Northside because he and his wife, Patty, who are both from the more urban society of Northern Virginia, think the Roanoke Valley is an ideal place to raise their three daughters - Cassidy, 10; Callie, 8; and Kelsey, 5.
This family of five, two of whom were born after Pope became the Vikings' basketball coach for the 1986-87 season, can't imagine life without living and dying with the Vikings from Dec. 1 to the conclusion of the tournament trail in mid-March.
Pope turned down a position at one Group AAA school, Fort Hunt, that was close to his roots in Northern Virginia, and stayed at Northside.
``There are different ways to look at [a coaching career],'' said Pope. ``People say, `Keep moving, keep moving.'
``I just look to do a better job every year. It's not just a matter of moving for the money or what jobs are there. It's a matter of what's best for the family. We feel pretty good here.''
Patty Pope is even stronger in her feelings.
``I love Roanoke. I wouldn't move from here unless something huge opened up. We like the schools the kids are going to. We want them to go all the way through Northside.''
\ No, the house isn't painted green and gold. To get to the Popes' from Northside, you have to cross Northside Lane in the North Lakes Community. The Popes live only five minutes from school.
Cassidy Pope has a picture taken of her and star Viking guard Jimmy Allen when she was pre-school age.
``My first memory of Northside [basketball],'' says Cassidy, ``is going to get snacks at the games and getting to stay up late.''
``Northside basketball is such a family thing. We go to the games together. We go through all the emotion together,'' said Patty Pope.
There has been a lot of emotion. When Billy Pope took the job, Northside was coming off a 4-17 season. The school was then a member of the Group AAA Roanoke Valley District, but the enrollment made Northside Group AA in size.
Pope's first two years produced an 18-27 record. Nothing special could be seen from that except that his first Viking team was 5-7 in the district and more competitive than the one before it.
In those years, Pope's publicity came from pulling a sucker punch on a good Patrick Henry team. The Patriots used to put on a dunking show before games and this was against the rules. However, basketball officials usually didn't appear on the floor for the first five minutes of warmups and PH's show went undetected.
Pope asked the officials to come up with the teams and as a result, one of his games against the Patriots began with a series of technical fouls. Northside still got blown out of the game.
When Northside dropped to the Group AA Blue Ridge District in 1989, it gave the Vikings a chance to flex their basketball muscles. The school, always better known for football, suddenly became a basketball power.
In Group AA, Pope's teams have gone 118-36 and have dominated the Blue Ridge District. Maybe the happiest time for the Pope family came in 1992, when the Vikings upset Laurel Park and fabled Odell Hodge, now a Division I star at Old Dominion, for the Region III championship. Northside went on to the state finals and lost to Nansemond River.
Perhaps last year's Northside team was equally good, but the Vikings had the unenviable task of playing Group AA state champion Salem six times - and losing all six games. Those were the only blemishes on the Vikings' record in 28 games.
The last loss was the most bitter for the Popes. Northside dropped a Group AA state semifinal game in overtime after Salem star Mark Byington fouled out. The next day the Vikings had to watch Salem win the Group AA state championship that might have been theirs had they survived the semifinal game against the Spartans.
Pope's entrance into coaching wasn't easy. He and Patty had moved back to Roanoke after he had done his student teaching here because they were sure they liked the area. Pope was a coach in the Salem system in the spring of 1987 when it seemed that almost every head basketball coaching job in the Roanoke Valley opened.
First, John Edwards resigned at Salem.
``I went in the next Monday and said I'd be interested. They told me the job had been filled,'' said Pope.
Salem wanted Len Mosser, who had built Cave Spring into a contending Group AAA Roanoke Valley District team, and took no applications. However, all four jobs in Roanoke County schools opened at the same time with vacancies at Northside, Glenvar and William Byrd in addition to the one at Cave Spring.
``I applied for all the jobs at one time, but I knew that Byrd was probably going to be filled by Paul Barnard [a longtime assistant]. Then you waited and talked to the schools that wanted to talk to you,'' Pope said.
All four schools talked to him. Northside made the offer.
``I wanted the Northside job most of all among the four schools,'' Pope said.
The family already had a house in North Lakes, but not the one in which they now live.
From the moment Dr. Jim Gallion, then Northside principal, called and made him an offer, there was never a doubt Northside and the Popes were a match. Always were and, if the Popes have their way, always will be.
by CNB