I don’t think it counts as plagiarism if I borrow the same things I’ve written before. And for a Lady Pioneer coach hot board, I didn’t have to go far to search: We just did this last spring. So, throughout some of this column, there could be some things that I’ve already written (but I believe it still applies). Otherwise, here’s a few caveats I’d like to list about the Simmons Says’ Lady Pioneer coaching Hot Board:

1) I love coaching searches, but I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I’ve never been asked to be a part of the search and I doubt I ever will. This is just my list of names that I’d ask or that I think will be considered.

2) I’m not ranking people by preference. I come up with a list and try to group them into categories – mostly for fun. So don’t read this as my No. 1, No. 2 and so on. That’s not it.

3) Yes, I do coach girls basketball at Boyd Christian. If you want to claim that I have bias, then so be it. I’ve never tried to hide the fact I coach the Lady Broncos and I also never give Boyd more coverage for winning (or losing) than I would WCHS --- we just happened to win more this year.

OK, before I get to the list, I’d also like to address one additional thing I was asked after my “Stotts Thoughts” column ran Sunday. One person said, “You obviously didn’t like the choice of her being hired, but seemed to go after the administration more than her – why? There were obviously things you didn’t see eye-to-eye with her on that weren’t discussed.”

Well, that’s easy: Stotts didn’t make herself coach, the administration did. And I think it was very easy to see the issues that arose during the year coming if you paid any attention to the vibes coming out of WCMS or during the coaching search last year.

Stotts not being the right person for the job doesn’t excuse the people who picked her once they saw what most people already realized long before them. There’s an argument to be made she’s the right coach for some program (she did win a lot at WCMS, after all), just not for WCHS.

That being said, I know the issues people are referring to about what we didn’t see eye-to-eye on and I’d say that list goes something like:

1) An accusation that I turned in the program to the TSSAA for a violation back in May. Multiple kids – all with the same story and wording – told me how it was said that I had turned in the Lady Pioneers during open gyms last spring for a violation. That did not happen.

Here’s how anybody would know it didn’t happen: It wasn’t on the front page of the paper. That’s not something I’d hide behind with an anonymous letter to the TSSAA; It’s something I’d put out in public. I’ve been writing for 14 years now – nothing I write is hidden.

2) I was told that “it would be best if I didn’t attend” freshman girls tryouts last spring because – as a WCHS admin put it - they didn’t know if I would be there as a reporter or as Boyd’s assistant coach. Again, I’ve been doing this for 14 years - One of the biggest first stories we do after a coach is hired is the announcing of their first roster.

As for the implication that I’d be recruiting, I would just point out that if you looked at the WCHS and Boyd rosters from last March and compared them to where they ended in 2024, a varsity starter for the Lady Broncos in 2023 was a starter on WCHS this past season and another key contributor (who was penciled in for a big future at Boyd) was playing off the Lady Pioneer bench. Counter that with exactly zero varsity players from 2022-23 WCHS team being at Boyd this past season (Macie Bush, who was a freshman and injured the year before, did play at WCHS and then Boyd), I’d say if anybody wanted to argue for recruiting . . . well, you get the point.

3) I was deleted off Hudl (the best way to get film and stats for games) shortly after the new staff took over (whereas I had access to all the Lady Pioneer film and scouts under coach Anthony Lippe). I was also blocked on Facebook by the coach, not that it really mattered since I usually consider my Facebook more of my personal space than an extension of my job.

4) One assistant coach, after the team won at Shelbyville, shared a story from the Times Gazette about the win and tagged the Standard asking why there wasn’t any reporting on the WC win locally. When I pointed out that A) I had written a story (and posted it before Shelbyville) and B) noted that every win had a front page story despite the fact I was blocked from the stats and blocked from the coach’s page, I was told I was playing the victim.

There’s probably more stuff I’m forgetting, but needless to say I’m looking forward to a better relationship with whoever is brought in next (and, hopefully, my Hudl access is returned).

On with the list: 

Group 1 – Dream Scenarios

Jessica Grayson

This hire would check all the boxes. Grayson is a decorated former Lady Pioneer, played in college, has several years of college coaching experience and, by all accounts, is beloved in the community to this day. In a dream world, Warren County would have the resources (and money) to entice Grayson to come home.

Sadly, I doubt that’s the case. I’ve only had a few chances to talk to Jessica over the years, but the last time we chatted, she seemed to absolutely adore the college game. She’s regarded as an ace recruiter, been on multiple staffs that guided groups to the NCAA tourney and it feels like only a matter of time before she lands a head coaching gig at the next level. Grayson currently is an assistant coach at West Virginia, which is currently projected as a No. 6 seed by ESPN for this year’s NCAA tournament.

While I’d love covering a WCHS team led by Grayson, I think I’ll hold out and write a story when she’s leading a college program.

Anthony Lippe

Stop the search right now if Lippe wants to get back on the bench. He’s already shown he is the perfect fit for the program and would have instant chemistry with the roster.

I don’t think I have to go too in-depth on why Lippe would be great for WCHS, but I’ll just mention again that he’s still the only person involved in the only three winning seasons since 2000 for the program. He was a vital assistant under Erick Baird during the 17-15 run in 2013-14 and was the leader of back-to-back, 20-plus win seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Group 2: Around-the-area standouts

Joe Pat Cope, Coffee County

Michael Dodgen, White County

Tyler Sapp, Van Buren County

It’s the same three coaches I recommended Warren County call last year. Nothing has changed – they’re still surging and proving they can win at the highest levels in the state.

If I didn’t think they would come last year (and I didn’t), then I think there’s even less of a chance now considering the current rosters they have set to return in 2024-25. Cope isn’t losing a single player at Coffee County (which went to the state semifinals), Dodgen brings back a talented group led by a Miss Basketball candidate (Ava Jones) in Sparta and Sapp is coming off a run to sectionals (preceded by two runs to state) and has lots of young talent too – including former Covenant and WCMS player Abigail Netherton. 

I’d give all these guys a call, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a short conversation that ended with, “no thanks.”

Group 3: The assistants

Kasey Owens

Erin Patterson

Preston Smith

Jim Carden

Brent Warren

JW Holt

Gina Holt

This was an expanded list of Stotts’ assistants from this year (Owens, Patterson and Smith) combined with Lippe’s assistants. And I’ll be truthful, I couldn’t see more than one (Warren) applying for the job.

Owens could bounce right back to WCMS, where she was doing well last year, while Patterson is a young up-and-comer who could be retained by the next coach. From what I hear, Smith has already mapped out his coaching future next year at a different school.

As for Lippe’s bunch, Warren stayed in the coaching ranks by shifting over to Danny Fish’s bench this winter. Carden was still around the game as his son served as an assistant for WCMS boys basketball, while I’m not sure if the Holts were in the gym as coaches this year (they may have been spectators at games though).

Group 4: The locals

Jeff Chisam, WCMS

Tim Page, Boyd

Kelly Eckenrod, Centertown

Jasmine Evans, Irving College

As I wrote last year, this could be a sweet spot if you’re looking at past hiring habits, particularly in WCHS basketball. The last three Lady Pioneer coaches both previously coached at WCMS (Stotts and Shea Panter was promoted straight from WCMS, while Lippe coached boys at WCMS early in his career), while Chris Sullens came to the boys team straight from the Broncos seven years ago. Sullens also had experience coaching at WCMS and in the county school leagues (Eastside).

Chisam added to his growing coaching resume this year by taking over for Stotts at WCMS. He took over a roster that lost of a lot production but was still able to lead the Lady Pioneers back to sectionals for the third straight year. It was his first year coaching school basketball, but he’s far from a beginner on the sideline.

What Chisam could lack in experience (in school ball), he would make up for by having one of the longest running relationships on the court with the current group of talented rising sophomores and freshmen. He’s been coaching the Lady Magic AAU team for years, made up of the many kids who will likely decide the success of WCHS the next 2-3 seasons.

Eckenrod was back winning titles at Centertown this year and offers the best connection to the Lady Pioneer lore, having been a part of the 1979 championship team. She also offers the added bonus of likely having a ready-made assistant (and possible succession plan) if she could coerce her daughter Elsa Eckenrod to leave the college coaching ranks and help locally.

Evans, also a former Lady Pioneer who went to college and played at Roane State, has built Irving College into a constant performer in elementary ball. She also has high school coaching experience as a former Boyd Lady Bronco coach.

I skipped over Page, but now it’s time to circle back. I have plenty of inside information on this one: It’s not going to happen. He won’t apply (nor will I – if you’re wondering). He’s very happy building things at Boyd and I thought it was poetic that he was winning his 100th game (in just four seasons) on the same day WCHS was starting its search for a third coach in three years.

Would he be good at WCHS? Absolutely. I have no doubt. I’m beyond sick and tired of hearing people dismiss the success of Boyd (and its players) based on the conference it plays in or the teams it faces – wins are wins, success is success and producing college players in each of the last three seasons tells me he’s doing a lot of things right.

Before you toss out “It’s just Boyd,” around me, just understand that I remember it. And I remember it the most when I also see the same people calling other fanbases arrogant or classless. “Just Boyd” is a really good basketball program right now and Page is going to be the leader of it for the foreseeable future.

Group 5: Running it Back

Chris Sullens

Shea Panter

Ryan Smith

Erick Baird

If the Lady Pioneers want a redo, they could try to pry back Panter or Baird. And while Smith never coached the Lady Pioneers, he was the head coach of the boys for several years (He later went to Covenant and won championships with both the girls and boys teams). I also added Chris Sullens this year because I think the administration could do a lot worse than a two-time district champ who knows how to assemble a great coaching staff and has a lot of pride in Warren County basketball.

I’m not going to dive any deeper here. If asked, I think last Smith and Panter would offer a swift “No,” as a rebuttal. Baird, who did get back into coaching at East Hamilton this year, may at least listen just to see if WCHS would offer an apology for kicking him to the curb after he had the first winning season at the school in over a decade, but then I think he’d say no too (and add a few extra choice words before and after his no as well).

As for Sullens, I think he’s more of a fallback option who – if push comes to shove – would do it for a year if he thought he was protecting the Lady Pioneers from another disaster like last season.

Group 6: The Wildcards

Kyle Turnham

Amber Gilliam

Cody McMurtry 

Bud Brandon

Anita Gannon

Shala Ferrell

Tyler Hillis

Jeremy Wilhelm

Stephen Glenn

Jaylen Johnson

Isaac Slatton

This has already reached over 2,000 words and many of these names are the same as last year, so I’ll provide my same summary for the list aside from the top five new names.

Turnham recently resigned from Shelbyville, but has a long history in the girls game. He has a bit of a reputation as a nomad who doesn’t settle down anywhere for long, but he led the Golden Eagles to 17 wins this season (and their first winning campaign in seven years).

Gilliam also knows the territory as she was the Franklin County coach for four seasons and faced the Lady Pioneers several times. She resigned after just five games this year with the Rebelettes, but she was also tabbed as coach at Franklin County as the same time that current WCHS principal Chris Hobbs was working in the Franklin County school system – so there could be a connection there.

Interestingly enough, if the choice was Turnham or Gilliam, Warren County would be hiring a coach that lost to Stotts and the Lady Pioneers this winter.

McMurty, who coached at Tullahoma most recently, and Brandon, who won two state titles at Wilson Central, were names that emerged during the coaching search last year. I wonder if they’d be interested again – or if the school would be interested in them.

Gannon is the current assistant coach at Coffee County (who also coaches a team at Manchester Westwood). If she's looking to take over a program of her own, then Warren County should definitely make the call (and ask her to bring her 6-foot-5 daughter with her). 

Ferrell is a true wildcard that shouldn’t be dismissed casually. She coaches at Manchester Westwood, has significant AAU ties in the Midstate and has a super-talented daughter who played a major role on a state qualifier as a freshman. While I’m not suggesting the Lady Pioneers go the UT route when the Vols hired Wade Houston to get Allen Houston, I don’t think you just shrug off good talent when it comes along with good coaching.

Just two years ago, the Pioneers hit the jackpot with Danny Fish. He may have seemed like a wildcard since he had been coaching girls basketball for years, but WCHS bet that his coaching would translate to the boys game and that he knew how to succeed in rural areas. It was just an added bonus his son, already a vital member who helped the program win a district championship, came along for the ride.

Ferrell knows how to succeed at small schools, comes in as a bit of a wildcard since there’s no direct tie to Warren County (although it’s not like she’s from the moon – Manchester is 20 minutes away) and could bring a potential 1,000-point scorer with her as well. That’s quite a few boxes being checked off.

Tyler Hillis gets mentioned every time I do a basketball hot board, but I don’t think he’s ever leaving Sparta now. He played at Warren County though and the Lady Pioneers already lucked out once plucking an assistant off Eric Mitchell’s bench (Lippe was an assistant in Sparta for a year).

Wilhelm, Glenn and Johnson were all in the mix for the boys job when Fish was hired. Maybe they would express the same amount of interest for taking the girls job. Slatton applied last year, has experience with the Lady Pioneers as an assistant (and was also a head coach at Centertown too) and is a former WCHS player.

Johnson is already working with many of the Lady Pioneers as he’s the high school AAU coach for Warren Elite (a title he’d have to give up if he got the WCHS gig).

I'd love to know who the public wants to pursue as coach. Send me your thoughts to sports@southernstandard.com or reach out on our Facebook page where we shared this story!