THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 10, 1994 TAG: 9406080170
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: 940610 LENGTH: Medium
For the third consecutive year, Langston has been chosen by Currents as the top high school coach in the city.
{REST} Langston piloted the Greyhounds to the Group AAA Division 5 state championship in football. Norcom was the state's lone undefeated AAA team with a 14-0 record.
After recovering from a near fatal stomach aneurysm in January, Langston returned to his duties in early spring and coached Norcom's boys track team to a fourth-place finish in the Southeastern District meet.
He bowed out of coaching the East football team in the annual East-West all-star game in July.
At this time, Langston, 52, isn't certain if he will continue his coaching career.
In the summer, he usually teaches driver education, but he plans ``to take it easy'' this year. ``I really have to make some major decisions for the future,'' he said.
``If I return in September, it will be the same as always or not at all. If I walk, I'll walk from everything. I won't be a part-time coach or a coach short on patience and mentally not completely with it.
``The kids had enough shock with my illness, and I don't want them wondering whether I'm coaching or not. I'll make my decisions in the next few weeks.
``One of the real pleasures in coaching is reaching down and appreciating what the kids accomplish, seeing them move to another level and watching them mature as adults.
``I'm sort of a granddaddy to all of them. I get invitations to their weddings. And all that is an important part of my life as a coach.''
In his 20-year coaching career at Norcom, Langston has become the all-time winningest football coach in Portsmouth. His teams have won 133, lost 72 and tied four.
``I guess you would have to say the past year topped it all because we won the state championship,'' said Langston. ``Realistically, that's what you're in it for. But, in fairness to other kids and other coaches who worked with me, I have to say we had some real great years at other times when we didn't quite win it all. They were equally pleasant years of having fun.
``Maybe the difference this year was the talent level was so high that we were able to withstand adversity when it was just around the corner.''
Langston believes Norcom will field another outstanding football team in the 1994 season. ``We lost 16 seniors and nine or 10 were impact players,'' he said. ``But we have a very talented group returning.''
With more outside activities available for athletes, Langston has seen some changes in coaching through the years.
``But there are some things that never change,'' he said.
``The kids still need love, they need discipline and they must learn the value of hard work.''
Runner-up for Coach of the Year was Churchland's Mac Carroll, a winner of the award in 1991 when he coached basketball at Cradock. This past season, his Truckers tied for the Southeastern District basketball championship with Indian River, winning a playoff.
The other top contenders for the annual award were Churchland boys soccer coach Duke Conrad, Alliance Christian girls softball coach Steve Adkins and Wilson baseball coach Joe Ladisic.
by CNB