05-16-2012, 03:58 PM
05-16-2012, 10:12 PM
Congratulations to Jeff and welcome back.
05-16-2012, 11:42 PM
SHS names Jeff Cothron, Erin Walker as head basketball coaches
By STEVE CORNELIUS, CJ Sports Editor
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset — On Wednesday afternoon, Somerset High School announced their new basketball head coaches for the upcoming season.
Jeff Cothron was named as the Briar Jumpers’ new boys basketball head coach and Erin Walker was named as the Lady Jumpers’ new girls basketball head coach.
Cothron is no stranger to the Somerset basketball program. As Briar Jumper basketball player, Cothron helped guide the 1985 Briar Jumpers to the program’s last 12th Region title and their final apparence in the Sweet Sixteen. Cothron even coached the Somerset boys basketball team for one season during their 1996-97 campaign.
Meanwhile, Walker comes to Somerset after coaching one season for the Nicholas County High School girls program, which was her first head coaching job. Walker is a 2009 graduate of the University of Rio Grande — located in Rio Grande, Ohio. Walker was a girls assistant coach at McCreary Central High School prior to taking the Nicholas County position.
In Walker’s lone season coaching at Nicholas County, the Lady Jackets went 9-21 on the year and dropped their last 14 games to end the season.
When asked about her coaching style upon taking her first coaching position at Nicholas County in the summer of 2011, Walker said then, “I like a fast paced game. I would rather have 10 players that give 110 percent of their heart rather than have 10 players that could play for the Harlem Globetrotters. We are going to be in shape. I promise you that, and if not, you won’t see much playing time.”
While at Nicholas County, Walker coached both at the high school level and she coached the middle school teams. According to The Carlisle Mercury, Walker had made great headway with the middle school programs as her girls seventh-grade team went undefeated this past season.
Walker is a Health and PE teacher with a sports science degree. While at the University of Rio Grande, Walker was one of 27 students to receive national honors for her academic work. She was named to the “Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges” list.
•••
Jeff Cothron’s prior coaching stint at Somerset High School was a productive and successful season. Cothron led the 1996-97 Briar Jumpers to a 12th Region semifinal appearance before the Briar Jumpers season ended with a 17-12 mark. However, Cothron left after only one year at the Briar Jumpers’ helm in what he referred to as “a lack of communication between himself and the former adminstration.”
Cothron then coached two seasons as the Southwestern High School girls basketball coach, with mediocre success, before leaving the coaching game after the birth of his son.
“I had been out of coaching for a few years and then my son got old enough to play basketball and I started coaching him, and I guess the fever came back,” Cothron explained. “I guess coaching is just in my blood, and I am excited about the opportunity to coach at Somerset High School.”
Prior to accepting the Briar Jumpers’ head coaching position on Wednesday, Cothron has been heavily involved in coaching at all levels and developing the county’s youth basketball programs.
Cothron has coached his son in various AAU travel teams and he helped start up the Pulaski County Youth Basketball League, which allows younger county elementary basketball players a chance to play in an organized league.
“I am going to be very involved in the middle school program here at Somerset,” Cothron stated. “Yeah, I’ve got a personal interest because my son will be in the seventh garde next year. To have a program, you have to have a complete program, and it’s not just at the high school level.”
“You have got to have a feeder system in place and the middle school 1985 is part of that, as well as your youth programs,” Cothron added. “I was the one that started the youth basketball league over here in the county, so I know how important it is to get the parents interested in working with their kids before middle school and play AAU ball at the youth level.”
Over the past five years, Cothron has been an assistant coach for the boys varsity basketball program at Pulaski County High School. During this time, Cothron has spent a lot of time scouting and coaching against the Briar Jumpers.
“I think we have a good nucleus of players at Somerset and a good mix of seniors coming back in Ryan Weddle, Tyler Megargel and Matt Gordon,” Cothron stated. “Cam Cheuvront and Ryan Dishman head up a strong junior class of players. We also have a good group of sophomores. I am excited about what we have at the varsity level and I know what the middle school has got. There is definitely some potential here at Somerset, or I wouldn’t have taken the job.”
“There is a style I like to play and at the high school level there is a style you have to play with the players you have on your team,” Cothron explained. “At the college level, you can recruit kids to play your style, but at the high school level you have to play according to the personnel you got on the floor.”
“I like for my teams to get up and down the floor, I like to play good hard full-court defense, I like to pressure a lot and basically I like to play up-tempo,” he continued. “With the current Jumper team, I don’t know if I am going to be able to do that all the time, but I am a defense first type of coach because I think it is defense that wins championships.”
Cothron made no bones about what he wanted to accomplish at Somerset High School, and he talked about renewing a longtime tradition that has eluded the Briar Jumpers for nearly a quarter of a century.
“I know they have a lot of All “A” banners hanging up in the Briar Patch and that is great, but did you know that Somerset has been to the Sweet Sixteen Tournament the third most of any team in our region?” Cothron quizzed. “Somerset has been to the state tournament 11 times, Monticello has been 15 times and Danville has been there 16 times. My senior year, when I played at Somerset in 1985, was the last time Somerset made it to the state tournament.”
“I want that kind of tradition back at Somerset, so people will know the real tradition here at Somerset,” Cothron said firmly. “I want to win the district, I want to win a 12th Region title and I want these kids to play in the Sweet Sixteen State Tournament, because that is the real tradition at Somerset High School.”
Jeff Cothron and wife, Jenny have two children — Jake, 12, and Jaycee, 2.
http://somerset-kentucky.com/localsports...a-new-face
By STEVE CORNELIUS, CJ Sports Editor
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset — On Wednesday afternoon, Somerset High School announced their new basketball head coaches for the upcoming season.
Jeff Cothron was named as the Briar Jumpers’ new boys basketball head coach and Erin Walker was named as the Lady Jumpers’ new girls basketball head coach.
Cothron is no stranger to the Somerset basketball program. As Briar Jumper basketball player, Cothron helped guide the 1985 Briar Jumpers to the program’s last 12th Region title and their final apparence in the Sweet Sixteen. Cothron even coached the Somerset boys basketball team for one season during their 1996-97 campaign.
Meanwhile, Walker comes to Somerset after coaching one season for the Nicholas County High School girls program, which was her first head coaching job. Walker is a 2009 graduate of the University of Rio Grande — located in Rio Grande, Ohio. Walker was a girls assistant coach at McCreary Central High School prior to taking the Nicholas County position.
In Walker’s lone season coaching at Nicholas County, the Lady Jackets went 9-21 on the year and dropped their last 14 games to end the season.
When asked about her coaching style upon taking her first coaching position at Nicholas County in the summer of 2011, Walker said then, “I like a fast paced game. I would rather have 10 players that give 110 percent of their heart rather than have 10 players that could play for the Harlem Globetrotters. We are going to be in shape. I promise you that, and if not, you won’t see much playing time.”
While at Nicholas County, Walker coached both at the high school level and she coached the middle school teams. According to The Carlisle Mercury, Walker had made great headway with the middle school programs as her girls seventh-grade team went undefeated this past season.
Walker is a Health and PE teacher with a sports science degree. While at the University of Rio Grande, Walker was one of 27 students to receive national honors for her academic work. She was named to the “Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges” list.
•••
Jeff Cothron’s prior coaching stint at Somerset High School was a productive and successful season. Cothron led the 1996-97 Briar Jumpers to a 12th Region semifinal appearance before the Briar Jumpers season ended with a 17-12 mark. However, Cothron left after only one year at the Briar Jumpers’ helm in what he referred to as “a lack of communication between himself and the former adminstration.”
Cothron then coached two seasons as the Southwestern High School girls basketball coach, with mediocre success, before leaving the coaching game after the birth of his son.
“I had been out of coaching for a few years and then my son got old enough to play basketball and I started coaching him, and I guess the fever came back,” Cothron explained. “I guess coaching is just in my blood, and I am excited about the opportunity to coach at Somerset High School.”
Prior to accepting the Briar Jumpers’ head coaching position on Wednesday, Cothron has been heavily involved in coaching at all levels and developing the county’s youth basketball programs.
Cothron has coached his son in various AAU travel teams and he helped start up the Pulaski County Youth Basketball League, which allows younger county elementary basketball players a chance to play in an organized league.
“I am going to be very involved in the middle school program here at Somerset,” Cothron stated. “Yeah, I’ve got a personal interest because my son will be in the seventh garde next year. To have a program, you have to have a complete program, and it’s not just at the high school level.”
“You have got to have a feeder system in place and the middle school 1985 is part of that, as well as your youth programs,” Cothron added. “I was the one that started the youth basketball league over here in the county, so I know how important it is to get the parents interested in working with their kids before middle school and play AAU ball at the youth level.”
Over the past five years, Cothron has been an assistant coach for the boys varsity basketball program at Pulaski County High School. During this time, Cothron has spent a lot of time scouting and coaching against the Briar Jumpers.
“I think we have a good nucleus of players at Somerset and a good mix of seniors coming back in Ryan Weddle, Tyler Megargel and Matt Gordon,” Cothron stated. “Cam Cheuvront and Ryan Dishman head up a strong junior class of players. We also have a good group of sophomores. I am excited about what we have at the varsity level and I know what the middle school has got. There is definitely some potential here at Somerset, or I wouldn’t have taken the job.”
“There is a style I like to play and at the high school level there is a style you have to play with the players you have on your team,” Cothron explained. “At the college level, you can recruit kids to play your style, but at the high school level you have to play according to the personnel you got on the floor.”
“I like for my teams to get up and down the floor, I like to play good hard full-court defense, I like to pressure a lot and basically I like to play up-tempo,” he continued. “With the current Jumper team, I don’t know if I am going to be able to do that all the time, but I am a defense first type of coach because I think it is defense that wins championships.”
Cothron made no bones about what he wanted to accomplish at Somerset High School, and he talked about renewing a longtime tradition that has eluded the Briar Jumpers for nearly a quarter of a century.
“I know they have a lot of All “A” banners hanging up in the Briar Patch and that is great, but did you know that Somerset has been to the Sweet Sixteen Tournament the third most of any team in our region?” Cothron quizzed. “Somerset has been to the state tournament 11 times, Monticello has been 15 times and Danville has been there 16 times. My senior year, when I played at Somerset in 1985, was the last time Somerset made it to the state tournament.”
“I want that kind of tradition back at Somerset, so people will know the real tradition here at Somerset,” Cothron said firmly. “I want to win the district, I want to win a 12th Region title and I want these kids to play in the Sweet Sixteen State Tournament, because that is the real tradition at Somerset High School.”
Jeff Cothron and wife, Jenny have two children — Jake, 12, and Jaycee, 2.
http://somerset-kentucky.com/localsports...a-new-face
05-16-2012, 11:54 PM
This is who I was hoping for from day 1. Very happy that the Somerset adminstration made the right move here.
05-17-2012, 12:57 AM
Congrats. Somerset should be better next year.
05-17-2012, 09:34 AM
I am assuming the mens coach is much better than his resume, correct?
05-17-2012, 08:55 PM
Glad to hear that Jeff got the job! I am sure he will do good things at Somerset!!
05-17-2012, 09:09 PM
Good hire. There are those that look good on paper and not worth a dime. Then there are those that that love the game. Welcome aboard Jeff let's get this party rocking.
05-17-2012, 10:36 PM
Jeff Cothron is a fantastic hire for Somerset. He will help build up a good foundation in the middle school and bring Somerset back to regional tournaments. Best of luck to him at Somerset!
05-19-2012, 02:14 AM
LWC Wrote:I am assuming the mens coach is much better than his resume, correct?
Well he played at Somerset, and people who paid attention to the PC bench last year could confirm that he is definitely a capable coach. I think it was a good hire.
05-20-2012, 09:26 PM
Also heard that josh Johnson from Sheldon clark will be enrolling at Southwestern this fall to play for steve wright if that is true Southwestern will be a top 5 team Hes a beast on the inside thats coming from a reliable souce in the 14th region.