Hatten looks back on coaching career; love of players, game
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — "The end of the last game was weird. When I was walking across the floor at Waverly I said to myself, 'I am not a coach anymore.'"
Lynchburg-Clay head coach and principal Linda Hatten said those were the thoughts running through her mind after her Lady Mustang team lost in the district semifinals, their final game of the season and Hatten's final game as a coach ever.
Since the age of 2, Hatten said she has always had a basketball, baseball or football in her possession at some point.
"My father (Harold) had a basketball in my hand at a young age, probably since I could walk. He coached pee-wee teams (fifth and sixth grades) back then, and I always played sports with the other boys since we didn't have girls sports yet," Hatten said. "My entire neighborhood growing up was all boys, and so at a young age I learned to care about sports."
The longtime head coach wanted to play other sports with the boys while growing up, but said her mother stopped that before it started.
The longtime head coach wanted to play other sports with the boys while growing up, but said her mother stopped that before it started.
"I thought I was good at basketball, and my dad was all basketball and baseball. I wanted to play baseball, too; but my mom put her foot down. The influence of my father with sports was important. I went with him to all the games, and I grew to love it."
Hatten has taken her love of sports into her adult life as she played high school at Lynchburg and college basketball at Wilmington College, where she is a member of the WC Athletics Hall of Fame.
"I wanted to be a college basketball player, and with my attachment to my home life, I went to Wilmington," Hatten said. "My parents never missed a home game, and my dad even went to all of the away games, some of which were three hours away, and then he'd get up and go to work."
But her coaching career started three years before she started her 22-year run at the varsity level at LCHS. She first coached at the junior high level after college, during her first year of teaching.
"There were a couple of reasons I got into coaching. I wanted to stay involved with the game, and the other reason was my love of being a teacher. When I first started, I didn't want to give up my basketball life. It was my other avenue, and then through the years my reasons started to change.
"I wanted to take something I was good at, and I had the desire to teach kids. I love being around kids, and I wanted to teach the kids to feel, love and play the sport like I did."
As Hatten began her teaching career, educating K-8 special education, she stated at first it was a self-contained classroom where her students were with her throughout the entire day, including lunch and recess.
"In the beginning, the kids were with me all day, and with the transformation of laws, the kids were included and joined other classes besides my own," Hatten said. "Four years ago, I came to the high school to teach special needs, and I did that for two years. Then I switched to assistant principal and athletic director, followed by my position now as principal."
But at the end of the school day, Hatten would go to the basketball court, using her teaching skills and her knowledge of basketball, combining them into an overall varsity record of 352-144.
Hatten started her varsity coaching career in the late '80s and said since that time, her players from those teams have grown into successful adults and have started families of their own.
"The longer I've been coaching, my outlook on why I am here has changed. I coach because of the kids, and it is all about the kids, knowing someone cares for them and about their lives," Hatten said. "I've been able to relate to kids well and they are able to relate to me, and that helps when I ask them to do things on the basketball court."
Hatten said players need more than ability to play the game.
"I am always asking them 'why?' when in practice," she said. "I ask them why we are doing this or that so they can learn the game. I'd rather teach and they learn the game, instead of them just doing it because I said so."
For the first 10 seasons, Hatten not only coached the varsity team, but the junior varsity team, but when she started the first season at the varsity level she knew the responsibility she had by running her own program.
"I'm not a control freak at all, but knowing you have ownership of your own team, you know the buck stops here," Hatten said. "But coaching both teams isn't a bad thing, but I finally got my first JV coach (Alisha Shope)."
Even with a new coach, Hatten continued to run practices with both the varsity and JV teams.
"Regardless of numbers, we still ran both practices together," Hatten said. "It is so very important for the JV kids for the fact they saw the type of coach I was and it prepared them to play for me. We always considered it one team and so we practiced as one team, and it worked well with a JV and varsity coach for the past 12 years."
Thinking about all her teams and players, the former head coach said there were thousands of good times compiled over the years.
"As far as the kids go, no teams stand out, and I love all the kids who play for me," she said. "You have to respect the kids, especially if they played for me. I would drill them and yell at them, so you have to respect players who can handle that."
With teams, not only does she remember the ones full of talent, but the ones who made their mark in Lynchburg-Clay lore with grit and determination when no one else gave them a chance to succeed.
"Take, for example, this year's team. We were picked to finish third in the SHL, and we tied for the league title," Hatten said. "Kids have to have the drive and their heart in the right place, and with that, success can be formed."
When remembering her past teams, Hatten told a story about her early teams and the way things used to be.
"We had tough conditioning. We would have three weeks' worth; nowadays we get one, maybe two weeks, depending on how far the girls go in their other sports," Hatten said. "I used to have them carry bricks, and nowadays those players come up to me and that is what they remember the most about their playing days."
As years go by, changes must be made as each generation of players is different from the previous one, with the coach leading teams during three different decades.
"I've changed as the kids have changed. I fully believe to stay in this profession you can't be the type of coach who says 'it is my way.' A coach has to adjust and learn how to deal and be willing to change. I don't coach the same in 2010 as I did in 1999."
Then there is what Hatten said was the most devastating moment in her coaching career.
The regional final game in 2002 against Huntington. The shot. After Hatten went into precise detail about the way the final seconds played out, she said it was a hard game to forget. A hard loss to let go of.
"I felt it for the kids. Those kids played so hard, and they had their mind set they were going to state."
Then a happier memory popped into Hatten's head when she remembered a regional game in 1992 against Adena.
"That season we weren't given a prayer to do well. Those girls pulled together in the tournament, and when Sara Hastings was shooting free throws, we were down one with less than five seconds on the clock. When Sara made the second free throw, I picked her up, and at the time I was pregnant with Cali and I sat Sara on my belly. I will never forget that. I just have so many good moments."
Then came this season. The final one. The last stand for the head coach of Lynchburg-Clay.
"It has been an emotional season. I tried to keep it quiet for the season, and we did a pretty good job of it until the Fayetteville game," Hatten said. "It was just hard to realize that after 25 years, I won't be coaching. I've been married for 25 years, and all I know about me is that I love basketball. Basketball is the greatest sport there is, and it has been a part of my life since I was 2.
"This year, I have had to look at who I was without basketball. I know life goes on without basketball, but I had to ask myself that question."
Then came the final game at Waverly, against Ironton in the Division III SE District District semifinals.
The clock ticked to zero, and the coaching career was done.
"After I said to myself I was no longer a coach, since then I've been told I will always be coach. I held it back this season. I wanted it to be so much about the girls and not me, then it finally hit me. We were successful because we had great kids. I'm not leaving because of a bad situation, but I am leaving to further my career.
"I will be the biggest supporter of not only the basketball teams, but all the sports teams we have."
Hatten did mention the high point of her coaching career.
"The highest point is the fact I got to coach both my daughters. Not only was I their coach, but I got to enjoy being their mom on top of that."
And there are many thanks to go around.
"I couldn't have taken this role for 25 years without a great family, and I have my husband and parents to thank for that. I also have to thank all my players. They all were amazing kids and did amazing things. I want to thank them for their dedication and sacrifice it took them to play this sport.
"I also need to thank the school district, school board members and my two superintendents I have worked for."
Hatten and her final Lady Mustang team left as winners. This season, they won a share of the Division I SHL championship, Hatten's sixth as a head coach. Of the six titles, three were perfect league seasons ('93-'94, '02-'03 and '03-'04).
The head coach and her teams also won 13 sectional titles and two district championships and were regional runner-ups twice.
"Winning this title was great for the entire team, but especially for my two seniors (Cali Hatten and Lindsey Hawk). For their whole careers, they were in second place in the league, but it is unexplainable how I felt for the kids for winning this title. The girls played their butts off for me, and I knew how hard they practiced. I just wanted them to walk off the court saying 'We accomplished that.'"
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