[Mountain pride 10]

First year coach Tommy Hensley has decided to return to his home in Georgia and to resign as the boys basketball coach at Harlan Ind High School. The Green Dragons will be seeking a new coach for the second year in a row after longtime coach and former standout Casey Lester was not rehired after an 8-10 yr run.

[buckets]

First year coach Tommy Hensley has decided to return to his home in Georgia and to resign as the boys basketball coach at Harlan Ind High School. The Green Dragons will be seeking a new coach for the second year in a row after longtime coach and former standout Casey Lester was not rehired after an 8-10 yr run.

Wow!!!! Looks as if things are starting to go downhill at that place. Who will be the next coach?

[OhHereWeGo]

Any of the assistants interested in the job? Or are they going to want to get a teacher?

[Tobin Frost]

Thursday, May 3
Hensley steps down after one season as HHS basketball coach

By JOHN HENSON

Harlan County Sports.com

When he accepted the job as Harlan's boys baskeball coach last summer, Tommy Hensley said he was ready to come home after coaching in Savannah, Ga., for a couple of decades.

Hensley apparently decided after almost a year on the job that he missed his life in Georgia, too, especially with his wife and daughter still there.

Harlan High School athletic director Kevin Ball confirmed Wednesday that Hensley had told school officials and his players that he wouldn't return for a second season as coach.

"It didn't work out as far as his family (moving to Harlan)," Ball said. "It's a tough situation."

Hensley led a Harlan to an 8-18 record in 2012. The Dragons consistently played hard but had trouble scoring.

Hensley could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but Ball said he anticipated the search would begin soon for Hensley's replacement, just like last summer after Casey Lester stepped down.

"I'm assuming it will be the same process. We'll take applications and go through the interview process," Ball said.

Ball said Hensley had already set up a summer schedule for the Dragons and an interim coach could be named to run the team during the summer. Adam Brock helped coach the Dragons last summer and was an assistant under Hensley last season.

[Tobin Frost]

Maybe they can finally get Rhodes after he stiffed them last year for Cordia (hahaha). My guess is an in-house promotion or hire. Doubt any outside big name will want to move in.

[Mountain pride 10]

If girls coach Derrick Akal wants the job it probably is his to turn down, he is a good coach that players love to play for, and his best attribute is individual instruction.

[Tobin Frost]

Was the rumor last year. Mullins is gone now, so maybe this year works.

[buckets]

Was the rumor last year. Mullins is gone now, so maybe this year works.

You're right. They said that was the plan all along. Looks like it might happen now.

[FIRST]

I am anxious to see what happens, with some of the things going on with those programs.

[Mountain]

I thought the Mitchell guy was the best coach Harlan has had in (boys or girls) in recent years. Maybe he would be interested in the Boys Job.

[bigguy989]

So is Akal going to go to the boys?

[Norm Stewert]

would be a good job for jeff honeycutt.....

[Bear_Paw]

Mitchell ain't NEVER coming back to Harlan...lol. Hensley never did make sense to me.....IDK where Harlan goes from here. :popcorn:

[zaga_fan]

Try to get up with Hot Rod Rhodes
He'll coach anywhere

[Tobin Frost]

Akal has applied. This one is done. Only question is now who will be the girls coach?

[buckets]

Akal has applied. This one is done. Only question is now who will be the girls coach?

You are correct. Done deal. What they were planning all along!!!!

[Mountain]

I looked up the Harlan Daily on my computer just a few minutes ago, thinking Harlan had hired a coach according to the last two posts. Then I see that the Harlan Daily has a article about the girls coach Akal has just applied for the job. I question why this was put in the paper and the other 12 people's names was not. Maybe the Harlan Daily will have more names to mention by Thursday or Friday.

[Bear_Paw]

I'm hearing HHS Boys is not the only job going to be open...:yikes:. Could be as many as 4 HS BBall jobs opening up in Harlan County...:yikes::yikes:

This should be all kinds of fun to watch play out...:popcorn::popcorn:

[Tobin Frost]

Bear Paw...did ol' Nick Nolte in your photo get hit in the head too many times? Or, as a shorter but similarly troubled actor once said, "Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?!"

[Mountain pride 10]

The waters in Harlan County are getting all stirred up when it comes to the head coaches of the basketball programs of each school, so yea Willis is on the right track. It should be a wild couple of weeks.

[Yogibear]

It may get wild at the ind school. The county is set. Has been

[Mountain pride 10]

We shall see if things are as set as you may think.

[Yogibear]

Set in stone my man.

[Mountain pride 10]

Yogi you may be right on target but I am hearing a different version, do you know all who have sent email to HHS concerning the job-jobs at the Ind School. Some might come as a surprise to a few folks.

[Bear_Paw]

No suprises in Harlan....that is for sure.

[Yogibear]

HC is set. 100 percent. We may be talking about 2 different things. I know HC is set like a rock.

[FIRST]

I agree with Yogibear, I believe the Harlan Co. Schools sports programs are pretty much set up in all sports. They have had some really good football teams, basketball, and baseball are starting to build solid programs also. I believe Harlan Co. sports programs are all standing pretty stong these days.

[wildone89]

First year coach Tommy Hensley has decided to return to his home in Georgia and to resign as the boys basketball coach at Harlan Ind High School. The Green Dragons will be seeking a new coach for the second year in a row after longtime coach and former standout Casey Lester was not rehired after an 8-10 yr run.

What a joke! Lester was told ( from outside sources) during the year that a plan had been started to get grid of him before the season had ended. A plan from within from people that had been rubbing shoulders with him all year long. I guess he can see the writing on the wall as we speak. Harlan knows who is calling the shots, maybe a parent with a son that is going to be a freshmen. Whomever is hired for the job is going to be a yes man for this parent. Hensley was nice to take the job for a year so all could be lined up????????????? On one end, Harlan has parents calling the shots about teachers so some have been moved and then you have a parent hiring the basketball coach. Harlan is becoming the Letcher County of our area. BEWARE!

[buckets]

What a joke! Lester was told ( from outside sources) during the year that a plan had been started to get grid of him before the season had ended. A plan from within from people that had been rubbing shoulders with him all year long. I guess he can see the writing on the wall as we speak. Harlan knows who is calling the shots, maybe a parent with a son that is going to be a freshmen. Whomever is hired for the job is going to be a yes man for this parent. Hensley was nice to take the job for a year so all could be lined up????????????? On one end, Harlan has parents calling the shots about teachers so some have been moved and then you have a parent hiring the basketball coach. Harlan is becoming the Letcher County of our area. BEWARE!

You are correct. The next head coach may not be the yes man. The parent has applied for the job and was interviewed.

[wildone89]

You are correct. The next head coach may not be the yes man. The parent has applied for the job and was interviewed.

You could be correct and it wouldn't shock me BUT i don't think the parent wants the job. He wants to call the shots and could possible be an assistant but doesn't want to be Head Man. However, with a direct line to Mr. J. I just don't see him having to interview if he really wants the job! JMHO???????????????