THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 18, 1995 TAG: 9508180525
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Joel Copeland, an All-American basketball player at Old Dominion University in the 1970s, has been named boys basketball and cross country coach at Norcom High School.
Copeland, a 43-year-old resident of Holland, succeeds Tony Holloway at Norcom.
Holloway, the Greyhounds' basketball coach the past four years, is pursuing his masters degree at Norfolk State University. He will teach physical education at Waters Middle School.
Before the close of the 1994-95 school year, all coaching positions were opened up at Norcom, and coaches were asked to reapply.
``I think it's best for me to give up coaching at this time,'' said Holloway. ``I can come back into coaching at a later date.''
The past season the Greyhounds were 9-13, improving from a 6-16 mark the previous year. Holloway's team won the regular-season Southeastern District championship in 1992-93 with a 16-4 record. In Holloway's first year as head coach after a two-year stint as junior varsity skipper, Norcom was 10-8. His overall record was 41-41.
Copeland accepted early retirement from Phillip Morris in March after 14 years with the company.
``I decided now is the time to do something I have always wanted to do - coach,'' he said.
``I attended summer classes at Old Dominion and Hampton University and was recertified as a teacher.''
A high school star at Southwestern in Holland, Copeland went on to become a second-team All-American as a junior at ODU and a first-teamer in his senior year.
During his four seasons with the Monarchs, he scored 1,657 points and grabbed 929 rebounds. When he graduated, he was third on ODU's all-time scoring list and second in rebounding. He still ranks in the top 10 in both categories.
He set the school's single-season scoring record (682 points) and was named to the ODU Hall of Fame in 1982.
Copeland was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in 1973.
``Things didn't work out for me in the NBA,'' he said. ``I went to Europe and played in Sweden for three years before going into private business.
``All along I have had a desire to coach, but I felt it was important to my family to secure our future.'' He has a daughter who is a college student at Longwood.
Copeland said he has continued to play in basketball leagues through last season. ``And I've always been a student of the game.
``Through my own experiences I believe I can give guidance to student-athletes.''
At Norcom he will teach health and physical education and driver's education. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Departing Norcom coach Tony Holloway is pursuing his masters at
Norfolk State University.
by CNB