Lady Wildcats welcome new coach
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MOWRYSTOWN — The bench of the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats will have a new leader for the 2010-11 girls basketball season.
New to the bench this year is Mike Cooper, replacing former head coach Steve Smith after 10-plus seasons.
Cooper is no stranger to the Southern Hills League, as he was the head coach of the Ripley Lady Blue Jays for four seasons ('04-'08). Last season, he was the head coach for the Western Brown girls program ('09) and was an assistant coach in Mason County, Ky. from 2000-2004 for their girls basketball program.
Last season as coach of Western Brown, the Lady Broncos finished 17-4 overall, 13-1 in conference play. WHS, Cooper's new team, finished 2-19 last season, 0-13 in the SHL.
Cooper said he expects his team to play all four quarters.
"I expect us to be competitive, and we are going to play a different style of basketball than what some people may be used to here at Whiteoak," he said. "I want us to go up and down the floor, and my philosophy is if you throw it more than four times, you will turn over the ball.
"I like to press, not for turnovers, but to disrupt the game, because we want teams to hurry. We will shoot a lot, but take good shots. We'll spread the ball around the floor and attack."
Being new to the Whiteoak bench doesn't mean Cooper is new to the area.
"I know this area well," he said. "My wife graduated from here, and I've been coming to games here. I have family in the school system.
"It's been great since I've started here, and the administration has been very supportive. We have 15 girls in the program, and it has been very enjoyable. I like the attitude of the kids, and they understand it is a long season and know we have work to do."
Whiteoak opens the 2010-11 season at Hillsboro when they will face the McClain Lady Tigers in the 6th Annual Highland County Girls Basketball Shootout on Friday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
New to the bench this year is Mike Cooper, replacing former head coach Steve Smith after 10-plus seasons.
Cooper is no stranger to the Southern Hills League, as he was the head coach of the Ripley Lady Blue Jays for four seasons ('04-'08). Last season, he was the head coach for the Western Brown girls program ('09) and was an assistant coach in Mason County, Ky. from 2000-2004 for their girls basketball program.
Last season as coach of Western Brown, the Lady Broncos finished 17-4 overall, 13-1 in conference play. WHS, Cooper's new team, finished 2-19 last season, 0-13 in the SHL.
Cooper said he expects his team to play all four quarters.
"I expect us to be competitive, and we are going to play a different style of basketball than what some people may be used to here at Whiteoak," he said. "I want us to go up and down the floor, and my philosophy is if you throw it more than four times, you will turn over the ball.
"I like to press, not for turnovers, but to disrupt the game, because we want teams to hurry. We will shoot a lot, but take good shots. We'll spread the ball around the floor and attack."
Being new to the Whiteoak bench doesn't mean Cooper is new to the area.
"I know this area well," he said. "My wife graduated from here, and I've been coming to games here. I have family in the school system.
"It's been great since I've started here, and the administration has been very supportive. We have 15 girls in the program, and it has been very enjoyable. I like the attitude of the kids, and they understand it is a long season and know we have work to do."
Whiteoak opens the 2010-11 season at Hillsboro when they will face the McClain Lady Tigers in the 6th Annual Highland County Girls Basketball Shootout on Friday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]