Ceremony planned Jan. 21 to honor former Corbin coach Willard Farris

The first coach to ever pace the sidelines for the Corbin girls varsity basketball team will be honored Monday night.

Willard Farris was the first ever coach for the Lady Redhounds, and almost immediately he had success. In 11 seasons, he had only one losing record (9-12). Overall, he was 252-86 — a 75 percent winning percentage. His teams went to three state tournaments, made the 13th Region Tournament finals five times.

“I think it’s a good time to have him recognized,” said Gary Akins, who served as an assistant coach under Farris in 1982 when the team appeared in the Sweet 16.
“He’s meant a lot to the program and the school.”

Farris is now retired from coaching and teaching.

As girls varsity basketball coach, he had several All State players on his teams. Farris also served as an assistant coach for the boys’ varsity basketball team, the CHS baseball team and was offensive coordinator for years for the school’s football team.

Akins said Farris also is responsible for starting the local little league basketball program.

Farris was even an assistant coach for the girls basketball team later in his career, under former player turned coach Lesia Wrinn.

“What we really want is as many of his former players and coaches as possible to come and show support and let him know what he meant to them and the program,” Akins said.

Farris will be honored in between the junior varsity and varsity games on Monday against Garrard County. The program will start about 7:00 p.m.