Thursday, February 24, 2011
FRANK JOLLEY | Columnist
frankjolley@dailycommercial.com
Once upon a time ...
In many ways, the success of the Leesburg High School girls basketball team might seem like a fairy tale.
An unheralded assistant steps into the void left when the team's head
coach departs and leads the Yellow Jackets to their most successful
period in school history.
Five seasons of 20 or more victories.
A school record 29 wins in the 2007-2008 season, and 173 victories since 2003.
The Yellow Jackets will make their third state semifinal appearance
in five years at 10 a.m. Friday against St. Petersburg Lakewood at the
Lakeland Center, and has become the program other area schools want to
emulate.
Mark Oates -- in his eighth season as coach of the Yellow Jackets --
has always been quick to point out that his team's success is anything
but a fairy tale.
Leesburg's winning ways, is due to a combination of factors:
n a seemingly endless stream of talented players, all of whom have
accepted Oates' system, and share his work ethic and desire to be the
best.
n a support system that includes parents who stay out of the way and let Oates coach and the girls play.
n an administration that believes a school's athletic and academic success can co-exist.
The biggest reason, at least from someone who has watched this team
for the past seven years, is Oates. He'll likely be quick to deflect the
praise he's earned -- he always has -- but he is the only constant
during the Yellow Jackets' run.
I've asked him many times what makes the girls basketball program at
Leesburg so special, and he has the same answer every time -- his
players.
"I came from North Carolina and have no family here," Oates once
said. "My basketball players became my family. I care about them and
they care about me. When they do well in the classroom or on the
basketball court, I'm like a proud father.
"I often get emotional when I talk about these girls because every group I've had has meant so much to me."
Oates truly is a special human being. He doesn't like to use the word
"I" in conversation. Instead, he'd rather talk about his players, often
addressing them by the pet name "Rockheads."
"How many of you Rockheads want to win a state championship?" Oates asked his players during Tuesday's practice.
Immediately, every hand in the gym was raised.
"We need a championship effort, then. Even in practice and I'm not seeing it right now.
Oates then blew the whistle and the intensity that was missing prior
to his comments -- the suffocating
get-after-the-ball-and-force-turnovers defensive pressures that's a
trademark of Yellow Jackets basket -- returned.
You can't help, but like Oates. He always has a smile on his face and something positive to say.
Oates is an advocate for his players, but he's also their toughest
critic. He hugs them when they need it, but he'll also sit them on the
bench when they need an attitude adjustment.
He is the epitome of a successful high-school coach, but -- more important -- he's an even better person.
And apparently, I'm not the only one who shares those beliefs.
"I've learned so many lessons from coach Oates and not just about
basketball," junior guard Baylie Bridges said. "Without him, I
definitely wouldn't be here, getting ready to play in the Final 4. I'm a
better player and I'll be ready to handle life after basketball because
of the time I've spent around him.
"After learning from him, I can't imagine where I'd be without coach Oates."
Said senior Jaleesa Blue, "Coach Oates has impacted my life in so
many ways. He's always done so much for us and we all respect him for
that. In many ways, he's not just our basketball coach. He's someone we
depend on and trust. We can talk to him when we can't talk to anyone
else about anything.
"For me, winning a state championship will have mixed emotions. I'll
be happy for this team and our program, but I'll be sad to know that it
will be the last game I play for coach Oates."
Many people would love to have the impact Oates has in our community, but it will only be a pipe dream for most of us.
He's the type of person you never forget when you meet him, and hope
to meet when you about him. So many Leesburg High School girls
basketball players are better because he's touched their lives. In fact,
the statistic that Oates is most proud of is not about wins or
championships.
"Most of the players I've had at Leesburg has gone on to college or
junior college," Oates said. "Not all of them on a scholarship or to
play basketball, but they did get the opportunity to further their
education."
If anyone deserves to hang a banner that says, "State Champions" it is Oates.
What a fitting ending to a story we could read to our children and grandchildren.
... and they all lived happily ever after.
Frank Jolley is a columnist for the Daily Commercial. Write to him at frankjolley@dailycommercial.com.
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