By CHARLIE HUST
Only a year removed from being named KABC Region 2 ‘Coach of the Year’ in his first year at Webster County High School, Parker McCalister is returning to coach the Lady Trojan basketball team next season.
McCalister, who served as the WCHS head coach for just one year (2012-13), guided the Lady Trojans through a remarkable season with a 23-6 record and trip to the All ‘A’ State Tournament after winning the Region 2 title.
Webster made strong run in post-season play before being eliminated by University Heights Academy in the semi-finals of the Second Region Tournament. McCalister resigned his post at Webster in order to “spend more time with family” after the birth of he and his wife Laci’s first child, K.D.
McCalister will take over for Tonja Wells who led the Lady Trojans to a 17-14 mark last season but resigned at the end of the year.
“I’m very, very excited to return to Webster County,” McCalister stated. “I’m looking forward to getting back to the school system which I feel is going in a very positive direction. I love Webster County, I love the small school atmosphere and the school spirit and pride that’s there.”
The former Madisonville-North basketball and baseball standout as well as a four-year basketball player at Brescia University in Owensboro has seven years of coaching experience under his belt as well as 12 years in the educational field. McCalister currently a math teacher at Madisonville-North Hopkins, noted that he will be assigned as a counselor at one of the Webster County schools next fall, which was a very appealing career move as well.
“One of my career goals is to one day run a school or even a school district. Getting out of the classroom and into administration is the first step in doing that. I’m very grateful that Webster County will allow me this opportunity,” McCalister noted. “This is a great (career) promotion for me and getting the chance to coach again was just a plus.”
He also emphasized that another shot at taking the reins of the tradition-rich Lady Trojan program was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
The 2014-15 WCHS squad will return a very strong core which played under McCalister two season ago, including seniors-to-be Christian Papineau, Georgia Keeney, Maddie Duncan, Kristen Keeney and Hannah Pritchett along with Hallie Gibson (junior) and Kaylee Duncan (sophomore).
“Most of those kids know me and some will be thrilled and some probably not,” he chuckled. “But we have a great nucleus of talent and girls who want to do what it takes to win. And I know that there’s plenty of talent in the middle school as well as grade school levels. When I was growing up Lady Trojans basketball was a force every year ... that’s what I want to help this program return to ... one of the top teams in the region every year.”
McCalister did say that leaving his home school was a very tough decision.
“The administration at Madisonville has been absolutely fantastic to me. And to be quite honest, when I was approached about coming back to WCHS, I really had to think long and hard about leaving. It’s very difficult to walk away from the school where you grew up,” McCalister explained. “But I’m thrilled for the opportunity to come back to Webster County and I can hardly wait to get back in there and start making good things happen.”