Phil Douglas was introduced last week as the new girls basketball coach at North Delta.

Douglas is well known around the Panola County area as his mother, Gladys, is a retiree of the South Panola school system. She taught sixth grade English for 32 years.

Douglas himself taught P.E. for five years from 1973-78, remembering such players as Luther Barksdale, Danny Ray Cole and Tommy "Doc" Brown.

He has also appeared in The Panolian thanks again to his mother as he led the Independence Wildcat basketball teams to four 3A state championships and was named the MHSAA 3A coach of the year.

That same year his daughter was named to the second team All-State.

He retired from Independence in 2004 and has spent much of his free time fishing.

Douglas is well aware of the situation in which he has entered at North Delta. The girls were winless last year and he described the situation as "dire straits."

With only four returners, Douglas sees this as a challenge and not a daunting prospect.

"I have never walked into a program that was on solid ground. So this is not foreign to me," Douglas said.

"All I have tried to get across to them is what it will take for us to build a successful program," he continued. "It will take hard work on my part and also their part."

In addition, Douglas said he made a commitment to them to give them all the knowledge and dedication he has and have always tried to give to his teams.

"They in turn have got to make a commitment to me to be there, willing to work and have a positive attitude," Douglas said.

Until we achieve that success, the team has to make short range goals, according to Douglas.

A winning tradition in girls basketball at North Delta is a definite advantage, according to Douglas.

"It is much easier to rebuild a program where tradition exists than to go into a situation like at Independence where there was no tradition," he said. "It is much harder to create a tradition than to revive one."

In addition to other positions Douglas held, he spent 10 years at Independence. The year before he got there the team had only won five games. They had not seen any kind of state playoffs or district wins since 1965.

At Independence, Douglas saw 18 players sign to play collegiate basketball.

One of his former players is the current coach at Independence, Makesha Lee.

"I’m optimistic," Douglas said simply.

"With Jr. High saw a lot of potential," he added. "Fundamentally we have to get better. When varsity participation is down, you have to build it up with the lower grades."

Douglas’ main objective is to turn things around.

"I have never gone to a program where I only have four varsity players and the team has not won any games the previous year," he said. "This will be a first.

"The program is probably at an all time low for the school because there is a strong tradition of success at West Panola/North Delta both," Douglas added.

Some of the junior high girls will have to play varsity and junior high ball, according to Douglas.

"We understand we are going to have to take our lumps," he said. "The objectives are clear as far as the goals that we have for improvement through areas that are important to success like rebounds, field goals percentages, limited turnovers, free throw percentages, defensive points allowed and things of this nature.

"If we can build off that, we will see improvement as the year goes along," Douglas continued.

Before Douglas took the job, he said he did not promise them anything except the players will conduct themselves with class and with dignity.

"We are going to prepare the best we can to meet challenges before us," he said.

Douglas is married to the former Nancy Durham, a South Panola graduate, who is on staff at Ole Miss in the school of education.

North Delta’s headmaster Herman Coats also served as the girls basketball coach. He will only serve as the headmaster at this time.
 

Also participating in the scrimmage is Provine. The South Panola B-team will play at 4 p.m. The varsity will follow that game and begin around 5:30 p.m.

To wrap up the 2005 season, the annual banquet and ring ceremony will be held Saturday in the school cafeteria beginning at 6 p.m.
 

I think I found my new career. I am going to go be a football coach. Hey, if Trenell Edwards can do it, I can give it a shot, right?

NOT!

Last Thursday, Northwest Community College held a Next Level Showcase. Part of that showcase was the spring game.

Media members were invited to call the plays for the game. We used the plays the Ranger coaches already had. The Ranger coaches gave the signals but the media called the plays.

I am still confused.

That’s okay, I had a great time thanks to head coach Randy Pippin, defensive coordinator Ed Holly and assistant coach Blake Frazier.

Special thanks to the Ranger players. They were such good sports.

I got to wear a jersey and also received a coach’s hat. That was the most important thing.

Oh, by the way, I was the linebacker/defensive back coach. My brother got to be photographer while I was walking around looking confused.

Mike Ceide from News Channel 3 was my head coach even though he didn’t mention me on his broadcast or flash my picture across the screen. I can be a little bigger about this than he can. (Psst! I think the oversight has something to do with my covering South Panola sports – don’t tell anybody I said that though.)

I already have a lot of respect for coaches, but this experience deepened that respect. They have to think fast and on their feet.

If things don’t go the way the first gameplan is mapped out, they have to take a quick step back and quickly rewrite the gameplan.

That takes a lot of organization and camaraderie among the staff.

Further confusion came as we got to hear University of Mississippi Rebel head football coach Ed Orgeron speak for the next level showcase.

He brought in some of his cover two defensive plans.

That made me further decide to keep my day job or my two day jobs.
 

By Beth Blose
Content Editor varsity.com

When Tammy Wilkinson began coaching the South Panola High School cheerleading squad in 1999, they had one back handspring and no stunting ability whatsoever. Nevertheless, the group was brave enough to start competing.  Coach Wilkinson started the SPHS program from the ground up, and now, seven years later, they have amazing tumbling and stunting abilities and are winning competitions. However, that is not their top priority.

"The emphasis at South Panola is on learning life lessons through cheerleading," states Wilkinson.  "These young ladies understand the value of team work, and they understand that it’s important to set and work toward their goals.  They also know that accomplishments come from hard work, dedication, and most of all, heart.

"There is an understanding that to achieve all that is possible, we must attempt the impossible. To be as much as we can be, we must dream of being more."  Meet these devoted young women from Batesville, Mississippi, Varsity.com’s May Cheerleading Squad of the Month!

South Panola attends camp at the University of Memphis every summer.  They cheer at all varsity football games and can be seen at several community events throughout the year.

This team has come a long way in their short competitive career.  In the 2005-06 season alone, they proved to themselves and several others that when you set your mind to something and stop at nothing to achieve it, you will.  They were camp champs at the U of M and took first at the MHSAA Regional competition, Dixie Championships, and The Athletic Championships.  But the accomplishment they are most proud of is making it to Finals for the first time at this year’s National High School Cheerleading Championship.

Traditions play a major role in the South Panola cheerleaders’ year.  Their favorite is coming up with a squad theme at the start of each season.  It’s used to promote bonding and team spirit.  This year’s theme was Penguin Power, which has a fun story behind it.

Community service is another vital component to their success.  The girls work a one-day football clinic each summer, which is sponsored by several NFL players for young children in their area.  The cheerleaders frequently volunteer with their local Junior Auxiliary each year and run a face-painting booth at their annual Health Fair.

The girls understand that traveling to competitions and being able to participate in other activities throughout the year takes money.  So they are always looking for new ways to fundraise in their community.  The SPHS cheerleaders work concession stands at the University of Mississippi during football and basketball seasons.  They also host bake sales, car washes, a city-wide garage sale, and various other activities.

Coach Wilkinson couldn’t be more proud of her team for the dedication they constantly put forth.  While this year was certainly a year to remember for South Panola, she knows that the program is only going to grow stronger.

"My vision of an ideal cheerleading squad is one that has a true understanding of a basic concept – team work," says Wilkinson.  "When we believe in ourselves 100 percent, we can achieve anything we want.  Having a team around you with the same values and goals will enhance your chances of success. It stands to reason that many heads and hearts are better than one.  The quality and dedication of each team member is essential to our success."
 

"We’ll be taking the basketball camp to teach the fundamentals of basketball," Brown said. Skills taught about basketball -the work ethic, team effort, intellectual skills and discipline – are also life skills, Brown added.

"We’re trying to get the word out that North Panola County does care about the kids," Bright added.

Talk It Out Ministries is a Christian-based, non-denominational ministry said Bright, who is also a representative of Talk It Out Ministries as well as PTO president.

"Our primary objective is to give today’s youth a voice, an opportunity to express their concerns," Bright added.

For additional information about the boys and girls basketball camp, contact the Greenhill Elementary School PTO at 526-9489 or email: GreenhillPTO@gmail.com.
 

The Pee Wee camp for girls in grades K5 through third will be held May 22-26 from 8 a.m. to noon.

The cost is $55 and open to anyone who wants to play.

A camp for girls in grades four through nine will be held June 5-9 from 8 a.m. to noon. The cost is $55.

If kids cannot preregister, they can register the first day of camp, according to new girls basketball coach Phil Douglas.

Douglas and his wife, Nancy, will conduct the camps.