Wilson named 3A top coach
Danville High School girls basketball coach Paul Wilson has been honored by the Alabama Sportswriters Association as the Class 3A Coach of the Year.
The fifth-year head coach guided the Lady Hawks to the state championship game in their class for the first time since 1992. Earlier, it captured championship honors in the varsity girls division of the Morgan County Tournament and advanced to the Final 48 in Birmingham after winning the Northeast Regional at Wallace State Community College.
“I hadn’t really thought about it and I was shocked when my wife told me she read about in the newspaper,” Wilson said. “I feel it’s more a reflection of the team and assistant coach Nick Cottrell than it is about the head coach.”
Wilson has compiled a record of 112-48. In three of those years his teams advanced to the Northwest Regional. In the classroom, he is a teacher of government, economics and U.S. history.
“This year’s team was very special because it had seven seniors who played together since they were in middle school,” Wilson said. “They were undefeated as members of the eighth grade team when I came in as coach. They matured into an outstanding group of basketball players and brought great credit to themselves, their parents and their school.”
“I’m glad they were able to advance as far as they did in the playoffs because it gave them the opportunity to showcase they talents and abilities to those other than their schoolmates and fans, he added. “I’m going to miss them next season but I’m also going to miss their parents just as much. I never heard a complaint from them and they were in total support of the team and its objectives.”
Even though seven seniors are leaving the team, Wilson is optimistic about the next young group to step up to the varsity level.
“Our eighth grade team was undefeated this year just like the senior group we have was five years ago” Wilson pointed out. “My challenge to them and other varsity players who are returning is to have the same kind of chemistry and love for one another that this year’s seniors had.”