THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 14, 1996 TAG: 9607120194
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 64 lines
A YOUNG STAFF with good, solid, veteran leadership.
Those are key elements to the success of any team.
And that's just what the first Hickory High school boys basketball team will have when it takes the court next winter - thanks to former Oscar Smith junior varsity coach Pat Troia, who'll take his first head coaching basketball job when school opens in the fall.
Troia, 30, is just one of the new coaches hired by principal Linda Byrd and athletic director Martin Oliver. At Hickory, Troia will coach basketball and teach health and physical education.
The post differs from the multifaceted roles Troia has played at Oscar Smith, but Troia is looking forward to his newest challenge.
``I'm jazzed,'' he said. ``There is so much enthusiasm in going to a new school. Building something new where there was nothing before is exciting.
``We're not just building a school, we're building a history. Everything we do will be done for the first time.
``(Principal) Byrd has an incredible amount of enthusiasm. It's infectious. I will bring that amount of enthusiasm to the table. From a Hickory standpoint, it's very important that I focus all my energy on basketball.''
Troia, who's coached at Oscar Smith for the past six years and taught for four, was the Tigers' golf, track, junior varsity and varsity assistant basketball coach. Coaching only one sport at Hickory, he said, will give him a chance to catch up on quality time with the family.
Troia is looking forward to having two seasons off with his wife and his 3-year-old and 1-year old children.
``I'll also get the chance to cut my grass during the week instead of on the weekend,'' he said.
But this summer, the lawn will have to wait.
Troia, along with assistant coach Jeff Dover, who will teach at Hickory Middle School, is busy building the basketball team from scratch.
Twice a week, the Hawks hold open gym at Oscar Smith, where they work on the basics of ball handling and shooting as well as on the weights. Sessions, though not mandatory, are drawing about 12 players per night and have Troia optimistic about his team's first season.
``We're trying to build a basketball program here,'' he said. ``What we're doing this summer is giving the kids a chance to get to know me and each other. We'll have had time to build a rapport by the time we start playing.
``This is a chance for them to get to know my expectations. We're starting slowly.''
Right now, Troia said, ``It's more important that the football program get rolling.'' That's one of the reasons he's hopeful that the numbers will increase when it's time for try-outs. About 90 percent of his players - ones who have attended open gym sessions and ones he's talked to personally about playing - are going out for the football team.
No matter what the sport, Troia is expecting a lot of great things from all of Hickory's athletic teams. As for the basketball team, which will draw from the fledging Great Bridge program, Troia said the Hawks are out to do two things.
``We're going to surround ourselves with good people and work hard,'' he said.
No doubt Hickory High School has done the same. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Former Oscar Smith junior varsity coach Pat Troia is taking his
first head coaching job in basketball at Hickory. by CNB