JONES RESIGNS

With basketball practice officially underway and the season about to start, Williamsburg High School is without a head coach.
Williamsburg Superintendent Denny Byrd told the Yellow Jackets basketball team Monday morning they were without a head coach.
“As you all may or may not know, through rumors, as of 5 o’clock Friday, Coach (Rick) Jones resigned as a teacher and as a coach here at Williamsburg.”
He continued, “The only statement I am going to make in reference to that is this was a personnel decision that had to be made and it was made.”
“Saying that, I think that at this point we have to look at where we go from here,” Byrd said. “I do think if you’re a person of prayer, he needs a lot of prayer and I recommend that each and everyone of you say a prayer for him because his life is going to change drastically and he really needs your prayers.”
Jones, a former Mr. Basketball, who played at Corbin and Scott County High School and Vanderbilt University before ending his playing career at Murray State University, was hired July 1 to take over the boys’ basketball program.
The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 2-18 season that saw Williamsburg win only two games last year, both against the Jellico Blue Devils under veteran coach Donnie Haynes.
Byrd wouldn’t comment on the nature of Jones’ resignation, but did say “it was personnel decision and that’s about all we can say about that.”
Byrd wants the program to push forward and said he had three capable assistant coaches that will guide the team until a head coach is named at Williamsburg.
“We have three assistant coaches, coach Patrick Robinson, coach Justin William’s and coach Billy Conn. They are going to continue on with our practices and we are going to go from there,” said Byrd.
“We are going to move straight ahead,” said Byrd. “We want to keep the tradition going here at Williamsburg.”
“As of right now, what we are doing is just looking at our three assistant coaches and try to get through this fall break,” he added. “Right now we want to get through these three days and then I just don’t know at this point.”
“I have met with the three coaches but as far as what direction we are going to go in at this point I don’t know yet,” said Byrd. “I feel like we have three very capable coaches working with these players through this whole time, they have worked with these kids through the summer as well since school started.”
“We’re OK, they (coaches) have their game plan ready,” said Byrd.
Byrd said he will see how things go over the Fall Break and didn’t have a timeline about making a decision on a head coach or possible interim head coach. “They have three days of practice scheduled before Fall Break, then maybe by next week we will know, but right now I am dealing with one issue and keeping the kids upbeat.”
“We are looking at excitement from this group of boys,” Byrd said. “We have made some physical changes and ordered new uniforms. Coach (Gary) Peters has experience as an AD and a coach. I used to coach years ago, we’re going to be around for these kids. We are going to make sure that they stay positive about our program and we are going to be OK.”
“It’s disappointing news,” said senior Michael McCoy. “But, we’re going to go from here with coach Robinson, who is a good coach and coach William’s. It’s a loss but we will get over it and make the most of it.”
McCoy feels the Jackets will be much better this season. “We’re going to have success, much more than we did last year, even with coach Jones gone, we’ll still do well I think.”
“I can assure you that we are not going to miss a beat here,” Byrd told the players. “I tell people many times that this school is bigger than any one individual. It’s about a tradition.”
“Nothing is going to stop the success this school has had in the past and nothing will stop the success we will have in the future and you are a part of that success.”