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March 22, 2012
MOVIN’ ON
Somerset High School loses both boys & girls basketball coaches

Chris Harris, Doug Eads & Michael Childers
Commonwealth Journal

Somerset — The local coaching carousel on the high school level is officially in full swing, with yesterday’s abrupt and surprising resignations of Somerset High School’s boy’s head basketball coach Don Daniel and the Lady Jumpers head coach Chris Adkins.

Wes Cornett, principal at Somerset High School, told the Commonwealth Journal that both coaches decided to resign during the postseason meetings he had with each man.

“I met with them both, we talked about the program and where we were,” said Cornett. “Both of them decided to resign, and I supported that decision. They were very gracious, and were both looking forward to moving on.”

Cornett said that both Adkins and Daniel felt the resignations were “in the best interests of the program.”

The principal also confirmed that there were no scandals that had anything to do with the resignations, and that he would not characterize the result each coach delivered as a “disappointment,” though “obviously we would have wanted to be more successful in both areas” as far as the boys’ and girls’ programs.

“I have high expectations for our staff and coaches,” said Cornett. “Yes, we felt we wanted to go deeper into the All ‘A’ and into the district and region tournaments, and it didn’t happen. We could have done better.”

Daniel coached at Somerset for four seasons, replacing Shawn Thacker who resigned after the 2007-’08 campaign to take the same position at Rowan County — the same school Daniel resigned from when he accepted the head coaching position at Somerset.

After four years of trying to rekindle some of the magic that Thacker had brought to the Jumpers during his tenure, Daniel pointed out that yesterday’s announcement of his resignation certainly came at the right time.

“I’m really at peace with this decision — I really am,” stated Daniel last night from his home.

“I know we didn’t finish this past season as strong as we wanted, but with the exception of the Casey County game in the district tournament, the other games in that stretch I believe were ‘could have’s or ‘might have’s,” Daniel added. “We lost to a regional champion in North Laurel by one point, we lost to a very good Pulaski County team in overtime, and we lost by one or two points at Adair County when they shot 37 free throws and we shot six. Now the Casey game, there’s no denying we should have won that game.”

The stretch Daniel was referring to was the 10-game losing streak Somerset ended the season with — a season that looked to be filled with such promise in early-January when the Briar Jumpers record stood at a very respectable 11-4.

But, there was that 10-game losing streak that ended the year, which culminated in a very abysmal, 55-53 loss to a 3-26 Casey County team in the opening round of the Boy’s 47th District Tournament.

With that loss, Daniel’s career won-loss record at Somerset fell to 36-72, for a winning percentage of only .333.

Under Daniel, Somerset — once a mainstay at the All A State Tournament — never won an All A regional crown to get back to the state tourney for Kentucky’s smaller schools, and he never got the Jumpers to a 12th Regional Tournament appearance, as Somerset could not get out of the rugged 47th District.

Against arch-rivals Southwestern and Pulaski County, Somerset struggled as well during Daniel’s helm.

Somerset went 1-7 against the Warriors in Daniel’s four years on the job, and went only 1-9 against PC — which included the last eight meetings against the Maroons.

Apparently, the lack of success in the post season as well as against Somerset’s two most bitter rivals was more than enough for the Somerset coach to see it was time to step down from his post as the Jumpers head coach.

“Let’s just say I could see the writing on the wall,” said Daniel.

“I know our record was not what we wanted it to be, but I’m as confident today as I’ve ever been about my ability to coach the game of basketball,” Daniel added. “Now, having said that, I’m not saying there were not people in the building that didn’t want to see me fired. But, I know I did my best, but at the same time I know it was probably time for me to step down, and that’s why I’m at peace with this decision. Sure, I wish we could have won more games and enjoyed more success than we did, but it just wasn’t meant to be I guess.”

As for his immediate future, Daniel says he has no plans whatsoever to leave the Somerset area.

“I have no plans at all to move my family and put them through another move,” Daniel said.

“My family has always been very supportive of me, and I’m not going to put them through it,” he added. “Now, down the road if somebody wants me, or would have me as their coach, I would certainly listen. I’m not ready to say that I will never coach again. As for now though, I have no plans at all to leave Somerset.”

Adkins, who spent a half a dozen years as the Lady Jumpers coach, finished with an overall record of 83-75. Out of the six seasons he was there, Adkins’ Lady Jumpers had four winning seasons, with his team winning 17 games on two different occasions.

"I'm getting old,” he said regarding the resignation. “I feel like it's time. There's a lot of things in my personal life and it's just time."

The Lady Jumpers struggled in postseason play, but a lot of that had to do with them being in arguably the toughest district in the entire state of Kentucky. The 47th District — comprised of Rockcastle County, Casey County, Pulaski County, and Somerset — has had recent postseason success as a whole at the state level with Casey County making to the Final Four in 2009 and Rockcastle County making it the Final Four in 2010 and winning a state title in 2011.

With those two teams making noise at the State Tournament, it was even tougher for Somerset — a Class A school — to make out of the district, as only the top two teams advance out of the district tournament. Despite being outnumbered by those bigger schools, Adkins’ teams had success during his tenure as the Somerset hoops coach.

Somerset, under Adkins' direction, did well in their smaller school tournament, which was the 12th Region All “A” Classic. In fact, the Lady Jumpers tallied three regional titles and made three trips to the Touchstone Energy All “A” State Tournament. The ‘Purple and Gold’ won regional banners in 2007, 2010, and this past season, 2012.

Over the past few seasons, Somerset has had the worst luck as far as injuries go. In each of Adkins’ six seasons, Somerset has one had one player go through some type of injury that affected the Lady Jumpers in a big way.

“I never felt like it was a job, it was something that I thoroughly enjoyed doing — it was my passion,” said Adkins. “I had nothing but the best interest in the program from the day I started coaching middle school girls almost 20 years ago. These last six years, it's just been icing on the cake.

“When Mr. (Jeff) Perkins and Mr. (Wilson) Sears gave me the opportunity to run the program, it was something that I had been thinking about for a while and it worked out.”

Adkins said that he’s “thoroughly enjoyed” the memories he’s made and that the wins and losses pale in comparison to the relationships he’s formed.

“You cry when they cry and you're happy when they're happy,” he said. “I appreciate the opportunity of being able to coach as long as I have, and I thank all of the kids and their parents that have supported me and have been a part of the Lady Jumper tradition.”

Cornett said that hopes are to have new coaches hired by May, and he will post the open position for applicants to see for 30 days, as required by the state. He also said that he will head the interview committee, and that athletic director Bob Tucker will assist in that task.

“We want to get the right person for these positions and move on with the program,” said Cornett. “We have a lot of kids coming back, and a lot of students walking the halls who could be playing, and to get some of these students on the court, that is our goal.”

And what about making the kind of splashy hire that crosstown rival Southwestern did in bringing on a state champion coach in Steve Wright? Cornett said that he is “definitely thinking of a hire of that caliber.”

Added Cornett, “We do want that kind of coach here, and hopefully we can attract them. That’s something that’s very important to me personally and professionally: bringing in someone that the kids can respect both morally and technically and as a basketball mind.”

http://somerset-kentucky.com/local/x1862285828/MOVIN-ON