Lewis takes the torch; named new LC coach
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — Whitney Lewis did almost everything a person could do at Lynchburg-Clay during her high school playing days. Now, it is time for her to take the next step in her basketball career, and that is to continue the strong tradition of the Lady Mustang program from the sideline.
Lewis has been named the new varsity girls basketball coach of a team she led on the court for four years in the early 2000s. In her own words, she said she's "been passed the torch," replacing last year's coach Tiffany Barnett and longtime coach Linda Hatten.
Lewis, who played at LC from 2000-04, said it was an honor becoming the head coach at her alma mater.
"I grew up in Lynchburg, I played ball here for Coach Hatten for four years and I was the JV coach last year," Lewis said. "I like to joke I bleed yellow, and being at Lynchburg, it is a pride thing. I want to keep the tradition going that the coaches before me built."
Before becoming a coach at LC and after her playing days at LC, where she was a four-time All-SHL and All-SE District, along with being a two-time District Player of the Year and two-time Division III All-Ohio member, Lewis played college basketball for Wright State University and some professional basketball overseas.
Now, Lewis said she wants to give back to the game that gave so much to her.
"Basketball has been and still is a big part of my life," she said. "I enjoy basketball, and I still like being a part of the game. I still love the game, and this is a different way for me to give back.
"This game has allowed me to travel to every state, it has allowed me to travel the world and it gave me a free education."
Passionate is one way to describe Lewis, but another word that can describe the new LC head coach is intense, at least on the court.
Lewis' intensity on the court allowed her to be a member of a Southern Hills League championship team, four sectional championship teams, a member of the 2003 regional runner-up and a player in the Ohio North-South All-Star game, along with being the all-time leading scorer in LC girls basketball history with 1,705 points. She finished her career at LC with 560 blocked shots, which is second all-time in the state record books. Lewis is an inaugural member of the Lynchburg-Clay Athletic Hall of Fame.
Her intensity led her to a Division I basketball scholarship to WSU, where she was the 16th Red Raider to score 1,000 points, finishing with 1,117 career points.
"My style, I'm still trying to figure out, but I'm pretty intense, just ask my players," Lewis said. "On the court and in practice, I'm a different person. I want my team to work hard, and a good way to describe my coach style is passionate. I want my team to play with effort.
"Basketball is a game that you can relate to life in so many ways. It is a personal thing on the floor for each individual, but I know we will always play hard and put forth great effort."
Part of the passion and intensity level goes back to the Lady Mustang way of being defensive-minded.
"Defense is an important part of the program," Lewis said. "Last year was no different. We emphasize to play defense because when all else fails, we can rely on defense. I want us to make teams make mistakes, and we will play with intensity, not just defensively, but on offense as well.
"I want us to play hard all the time."
Lewis, who will be a high school counselor this fall, spoke about what went through her mind when she earned the job as head coach.
"It is just hard for me to even think of being in the Lynchburg-Clay School District and not being a part of the program," she said. "When the coaching position opened up, and I found out I got the position, it finally came to my mind that I will be running the show. Again, it is just an honor, and I have some mighty big shoes to fill with Coach Hatten's 350-plus wins and Coach Barnett's team that went to the district finals last year.
"I hope I can accomplish what they did by having teams perform at a high level. As far as taking over, I'm confident in the girls, and we'll take this one step at a time."
Another factor that will be interesting to Lewis is coaching her sister, Laney, who will be a junior next season for the Lady Mustangs.
"When I got the job, I was wondering about that too," Lewis said on coaching her sister. "Laney is a good kid and a talented basketball player. It will be different because we are sisters, but we'll be able to put that aside on the court. It will be interesting and fun."
With this being her first head coaching job, Lewis said she's learned a lot from all her coaches she's had and will use those lessons as she begins her varsity coaching career.
"When Coach Hatten coached me in high school, I didn't realize the value of having a coach like her until I was in college," Lewis said. "A lot of my teammates didn't have that when they got to college. I've played for a lot of coaches at different levels of the game, and Coach Hatten is one of the coaches right at the top of the list.
"I've learned a lot from her just by being on the sideline and just watching her. It's beneficial to watch her with different strategies, and getting a team to play hard as they can every minute of the game. I realized coaching was more than x's-and-o's, but it was getting everyone to play with effort and hard work."
She also said last season was a learning experience as well.
"As a JV coach and working with Coach Barnett and the value of that season is going to help me out," Lewis said. "I watched her and how she handled her transition, and what she did was an amazing feat. I learned from her how to run a practice and how to teach."
With a basketball career that took her coast-to-coast in the United States and overseas, it all comes back to Lynchburg and the tradition set by those before her and wanting to continue that.
"When I think Lynchburg-Clay basketball, it is all about pride. It is deep in my heart, and that is what makes it so special to me. I am still friends with most of my teammates, and when we played, our overall record was good. It is a high priority to keep the tradition going and to give 100 percent. This is a huge honor, and I told the girls we play for the name on front of the jersey.
"Now it is my turn, to take the torch."[[In-content Ad]]
Lewis has been named the new varsity girls basketball coach of a team she led on the court for four years in the early 2000s. In her own words, she said she's "been passed the torch," replacing last year's coach Tiffany Barnett and longtime coach Linda Hatten.
Lewis, who played at LC from 2000-04, said it was an honor becoming the head coach at her alma mater.
"I grew up in Lynchburg, I played ball here for Coach Hatten for four years and I was the JV coach last year," Lewis said. "I like to joke I bleed yellow, and being at Lynchburg, it is a pride thing. I want to keep the tradition going that the coaches before me built."
Before becoming a coach at LC and after her playing days at LC, where she was a four-time All-SHL and All-SE District, along with being a two-time District Player of the Year and two-time Division III All-Ohio member, Lewis played college basketball for Wright State University and some professional basketball overseas.
Now, Lewis said she wants to give back to the game that gave so much to her.
"Basketball has been and still is a big part of my life," she said. "I enjoy basketball, and I still like being a part of the game. I still love the game, and this is a different way for me to give back.
"This game has allowed me to travel to every state, it has allowed me to travel the world and it gave me a free education."
Passionate is one way to describe Lewis, but another word that can describe the new LC head coach is intense, at least on the court.
Lewis' intensity on the court allowed her to be a member of a Southern Hills League championship team, four sectional championship teams, a member of the 2003 regional runner-up and a player in the Ohio North-South All-Star game, along with being the all-time leading scorer in LC girls basketball history with 1,705 points. She finished her career at LC with 560 blocked shots, which is second all-time in the state record books. Lewis is an inaugural member of the Lynchburg-Clay Athletic Hall of Fame.
Her intensity led her to a Division I basketball scholarship to WSU, where she was the 16th Red Raider to score 1,000 points, finishing with 1,117 career points.
"My style, I'm still trying to figure out, but I'm pretty intense, just ask my players," Lewis said. "On the court and in practice, I'm a different person. I want my team to work hard, and a good way to describe my coach style is passionate. I want my team to play with effort.
"Basketball is a game that you can relate to life in so many ways. It is a personal thing on the floor for each individual, but I know we will always play hard and put forth great effort."
Part of the passion and intensity level goes back to the Lady Mustang way of being defensive-minded.
"Defense is an important part of the program," Lewis said. "Last year was no different. We emphasize to play defense because when all else fails, we can rely on defense. I want us to make teams make mistakes, and we will play with intensity, not just defensively, but on offense as well.
"I want us to play hard all the time."
Lewis, who will be a high school counselor this fall, spoke about what went through her mind when she earned the job as head coach.
"It is just hard for me to even think of being in the Lynchburg-Clay School District and not being a part of the program," she said. "When the coaching position opened up, and I found out I got the position, it finally came to my mind that I will be running the show. Again, it is just an honor, and I have some mighty big shoes to fill with Coach Hatten's 350-plus wins and Coach Barnett's team that went to the district finals last year.
"I hope I can accomplish what they did by having teams perform at a high level. As far as taking over, I'm confident in the girls, and we'll take this one step at a time."
Another factor that will be interesting to Lewis is coaching her sister, Laney, who will be a junior next season for the Lady Mustangs.
"When I got the job, I was wondering about that too," Lewis said on coaching her sister. "Laney is a good kid and a talented basketball player. It will be different because we are sisters, but we'll be able to put that aside on the court. It will be interesting and fun."
With this being her first head coaching job, Lewis said she's learned a lot from all her coaches she's had and will use those lessons as she begins her varsity coaching career.
"When Coach Hatten coached me in high school, I didn't realize the value of having a coach like her until I was in college," Lewis said. "A lot of my teammates didn't have that when they got to college. I've played for a lot of coaches at different levels of the game, and Coach Hatten is one of the coaches right at the top of the list.
"I've learned a lot from her just by being on the sideline and just watching her. It's beneficial to watch her with different strategies, and getting a team to play hard as they can every minute of the game. I realized coaching was more than x's-and-o's, but it was getting everyone to play with effort and hard work."
She also said last season was a learning experience as well.
"As a JV coach and working with Coach Barnett and the value of that season is going to help me out," Lewis said. "I watched her and how she handled her transition, and what she did was an amazing feat. I learned from her how to run a practice and how to teach."
With a basketball career that took her coast-to-coast in the United States and overseas, it all comes back to Lynchburg and the tradition set by those before her and wanting to continue that.
"When I think Lynchburg-Clay basketball, it is all about pride. It is deep in my heart, and that is what makes it so special to me. I am still friends with most of my teammates, and when we played, our overall record was good. It is a high priority to keep the tradition going and to give 100 percent. This is a huge honor, and I told the girls we play for the name on front of the jersey.
"Now it is my turn, to take the torch."[[In-content Ad]]