[EKUAlum05]

Here is what has happened to Williamson:

1. This one is in a class all its own. ENROLLMENT. The town of Williamson is struggling to survive. Most people who move into the area will ultimately move to the Kentucky side if they have the opportunity and why wouldn't they?!?!?! Better academics, better facilities, and much more $ for funding and support.

2. Feeder System and Grass-roots. In Williamson's prime they had numerous feeder schools (Town, East End, Liberty, West End, WMS, Nolan, Chattaroy). Heck, when I was in 4th grade my first team was West End even though I went to school at Varney Elementary in KY. Additionally, the coaching support is nearly non-existent like it used to be, and AAU teams have been a rare occurance save the class with G Gregory and Little Anthony Strotter.

3. Coaching Turnaround. David Hatfield was the architect of those great Williamson teams. He eventually came to Belfry during the time his daughter attended High School there. After he left Williamson they still had success under Curt Fletcher, but that success can DEFINATELY be more attributed to that class of players with Gregory, Hannah, etc, and not so much Flecther's coaching ability.

4. Sharing the Wealth. Williamson sued to ahve the monopoly on basketball talent in Mingo County. Burch had sporadic talented teams during the 80's and 90's, but by and large it was understood that if you were talented and wanted to be a winner you played for Williamson. About the same time that Williamson started to experience the first effects of dropping enrollement coincided perfectly with the emergence of Tug Valley as a state title contender. With no intent of bringing race into the issue, but needing to point out the facts, the general consensus was that Williamson became a "thug school" and thus several prominent businessmen opted to send their kids to predominantly white Williamson and Tug Valley. Gilbert has also seen a massive increase in their success on the hardwood as the same effect has happened with Matewan.

The sad reality is I do not see this changing anytime in the near future, if ever. Too much apathy at WHS, coupled with severely depleted funds and enrollment.