There has been a lot of movement in the basketball coaching carousel involving area coaches at the high school and collegiate level. The biggest name to emerge is former Jennings High and University of Missouri standout Kelly Thames, who will take over the program at Pattonville High.
Thames spent the past three seasons at Trinity Catholic, where he transformed the program from an also-ran to a team than won 19 games and played for a district championship last season with a large group of underclassmen. Kelly did a masterful job of changing the attitude and culture around Trinity and its boys basketball program. Do not be surprised if he does the same thing at Pattonville, which competes in the rugged Suburban North Conference. Not only is Kelly an excellent coach, but he is an outstanding young man and a great role model for youngsters.
Coaches James, Hunt, Mosley
Congrats go to a couple of young men who have known for a long time in Jason James and Phillip Hunt, who have been just promoted to head coaching jobs at the collegiate level.
James, a former Parkway West standout, was elevated to the top job at the University of Tennessee-Martin. James was UT-Martin’s top assistant for a team that won the Ohio Valley Conference championship a year ago. He was promoted after the sudden resignation of head coach Bret Campbell. Jason has worked his way up the ranks and deserves this opportunity.
Hunt, who played at Clayton High and Saint Louis University, was promoted to head coach at Harris-Stowe State University. Phillip served as the Hornets’ assistant coach and sports information director. Jason and Phillip are both quality young men who will do a nice job for their respective schools.
Hunt also tabbed Justin Mosley as his assistant coach. Mosley is a Harris-Stowe alum, who has done a great job of promoting high school basketball in the past few years through his website (www.stlhoopsinsders.com) and his basketball recruiting showcases.
Coaches Turner and Hamilton
At the high school level, Miller Career Academy has made two new hires. Dale Turner will take over as the boys coach for Michael Brown, who will move into a principal’s job after leading the Phoenix to the Final Four of the Class 4 state tournament in 2009.
Turner is a former Venice High and Northern Iowa standout who was a former assistant at Career Academy before spending the past year as the head coach at Madison. Darren White will become the new girls’ coach at Career Academy. He takes over for Martin Jenkins, who will concentrate on his duties as the school’s athletic director. The girls made their first ever appearance in the Class 4 state tournament in 2009 under the direction of Jenkins.
Normandy High has tabbed Terrance Hamilton as its new boys basketball coach. Ironically, Hamilton was Brown’s assistant at Career Academy last season.
Coach G’s camp
My good friend Joe Gresham (Coach G) is putting on his speed and conditioning camps for youths and adults. Gresham’s Adult and Wellness camp is being held on Friday’s from June to October in front of the Art Museum from 6-7 a.m. The Youth Fitness and Wellness Camp will be held in June and July at Normandy High on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. The Youth Speed and Conditioning Camps will be held in June and July at Normandy on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1-3 p.m.
You can follow Earl Austin Jr.’s blog at stlouisbasketball.com. Earl will appear at Not Just a Book Store, 5892 Delmar Blvd., on Saturday June 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a book signing featuring his first book, “The PHL in the STL.” The book can be purchased on-line at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and www.earlaustinjr.com.
