ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603130053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on March 15, 1996.
Former Cave Spring boys' basketball coach Chris Carr's previous job
was as a coach at Cave Spring Junior High. That position was reported
incorrectly in Wednesday's Sports section.
Cave Spring High School boys' basketball coach Chris Carr has resigned after two seasons, the third Roanoke Valley District coach to quit in as many months.
Carr tendered his resignation effective March 21 to take a position with Pfizer, Inc., as a pharmaceutical salesman.
Carr joins Woody Deans of Patrick Henry, who retired at the end of the season, and Burrall Paye of William Fleming, who abruptly retired in midseason, as RVD coaches leaving their jobs. Sixty percent of the head coaches who started the season have resigned.
Cave Spring will search for a new head coach for the seventh time in 14 years since longtime coach Rudy Lacy retired after the 1983 season.
The parade of coaches after Lacy and before Carr includes Garland Berry, presently an assistant at Roanoke College; Len Mosser, Jr., who was a head coach at Salem before retiring; Ed Peterson, who went on to become a head coach in North Carolina; Joe Davis, the head coach at Lynchburg College; and Rick Crotts, an assistant at Glenvar.
``From a personal standpoint, you're always looking for a way to better yourself. An opportunity came along to improve my lifestyle. They [Pfizer] gave me an opportunity I couldn't refuse,'' Carr said.
Cave Spring principal Martha Cobble, who hired Carr two years ago, said she regretted losing her coach. ``He's done a fine job, but he's been given an offer he couldn't turn down. It was a job he needed to take for his financial well being,'' said Cobble.
In two years, Cave Spring went 23-21 under Carr. The Knights were 11-11 this season and finished third in the district despite being picked for last place.
Rumors had circulated the past few weeks that Carr would be forced to resign. ``Absolutely not,'' Cobble said. ``Those were nosy people with rumors. I looked forward to having Chris with us for a period of time. Coach Carr did a good job at Hidden Valley [Junior High] and he did a good job here. I think he's a real motivator and those are good qualities of a head coach. I'm sure he'll be successful in his sales position.''
Carr, who told his players Tuesday of his resignation, said the company wanted to hire him before the basketball season was over.
``I couldn't do that. I had constantly asked my players for a commitment. Cave Spring is a difficult place to win and I'm very proud of what I've accomplished. We had a solid third-place finish and we leave the program on a solid footing.''
Cobble said the Roanoke County school board must act on Carr's resignation because he is leaving the system before satisfying the term of his contract, a one-year teaching and coaching assignment. However, she anticipates no problems and says the position will be advertised.
Though Cobble refused to speculate on a successor, it is likely that Carr's assistant, Billy Hicks, will have the inside track on the job.
Like Carr, Hicks coached at Hidden Valley and he wishes to become a head coach on the high school level. Hicks is a former player at Cave Spring and is the uncle of Sarah Hicks, an outstanding girls' basketball player at Lord Botetourt.
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY LOSS: Melissa Fretwell, the Rockbridge County girls' basketball coach the past two years, has resigned but plans to remain at the school as a teacher.
Fretwell turned in her resignation in order to finish work on a graduate degree in special education she is pursuing at the University of Virginia.
Fretwell, who played at Bridgewater College, had a 3-37 record in two seasons. However, the program made big strides this past year with a 57-56 upset victory over Northside.
GALAX WINS TITLE: Galax may be ruled the winner of the Mountain Empire District basketball tournament after Fort Chiswell forfeited all the games it won after Jan.26 for using an ineligible player.
Principals will rule on the tournament champion at a district meeting on April 17. Meanwhile, the Pioneers forfeit eight victories and will finish with a 4-19 mark. Fort Chiswell defeated Galax 73-60 in the Mountain Empire District title game and then lost 79-63 in the Region C tournament at Floyd County.
The forfeit victories were against Auburn, Bland twice, George Wythe, Narrows, Galax twice and Grayson County.
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