STARKVILLE — Glenn Schmidt knows the pedigree of a championship coach.
Schmidt has won state basketball championships at Starkville High School and Starkville Academy. In 1992, Schmidt carried Starkville High to the state championship. Schmidt was excited when the Lady Jackets broke their 23-year drought and returned to the Mississippi Coliseum this season under the direction of Kristie Williams, who played for Schmidt on that 1992 team.
“Kristie is a winner,” Schmidt said. “She is the perfect role model for young women today. … I really wanted her to become the first coach there to win the championship (in girls basketball) since we won ours.
“Kristie understands the sport and the role it can play in a school and these young people’s lives. She has that nurturing approach, which brings the best out of a player. Seeing her have success is not a surprise.”
Williams carried Starkville High to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A, Region 3 regular-season and tournament championships. Starkville finished 25-5 and advanced to the Mississippi Coliseum and state tournament competition for the first time since 1992. In Jackson, Starkville beat Hattiesburg before bowing out to eventual state champion Horn Lake in the semifinals.
For this success, Williams is The Dispatch’s Large Schools Girls Basketball All-Area Coach of the Year. Schmidt won the award two seasons ago when Starkville Academy captured the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA state championship and the overall state title.
“The season was really a whirlwind,” Williams said. “We knew we had some voids to fill and some things to deal with. You always start the goal each season of making it to Jackson. It takes a lot to get there. We really didn’t realize that certain players would play certain roles. As coaches, we were just trying to get several new players ready to play basketball on the varsity level.
“We had some younger players who had not been contributing as much step up and take ownership in the team. As the season progressed, we developed some really great chemistry, and that was the key.”
Mississippi State signee Blair Schaefer was the undisputed leader of the Lady Jackets a season ago. As the year progressed, Imane Montgomery became a capable scoring complement to Schaefer. The duo helped Starkville qualify for the Class 6A playoffs.
“The young ladies (this season) each came in with a desire to get better individually and as a team,” Williams said. “A lot of people thought when we lost Blair and Imane, this was going to be a major rebuilding year. However, this team wanted to prove the doubters wrong. They were a lot of people who didn’t think we could get it done.
“Even though these players did not come in the high accolades, they still had something to prove. They had desire. They had a desire to get better every day. That was the driving point for our success.”
Starkville won eight of its first nine games with 6-foot-2 sophomore center Kelsey Jones becoming a force underneath. An offseason anterior cruciate ligament injury Kayla Minor pushed Jones into an even bigger role. Guard play was a work in progress. However, Jariyah Covington and Eryka Williams turned into capable outside shooters. Tabreea Gandy and Taylor Price also provided huge minutes as the team quickly formed its identity.
“Playing for coach Williams was an incredible experience,” said Price, who was one of six seniors on the team. “I learned a lot about basketball, but I have also learned a lot about life. We always had a can-do attitude, and we got that from our coach. There was never a reason to not do something. Instead work hard enough to make sure you could do it.”
Despite the early success, Williams still wasn’t sure if her team was worthy of competing for a Class 6A state championship. That changed in December when Starkville dropped a 59-51 decision to eventual Class 6A semifinalist Harrison Central at the Travis Outlaw Slam Dunk at the Hump holiday tournament on the MSU campus.
“I have tremendous respect for Coach (Nancy) Ladner and her program at Harrison Central,” Williams said. “It was anybody’s game in the closing minutes. I knew when we competed with them we had a chance to play with anybody.”
Starkville was well on its way to proving the naysayers wrong. The Lady Jackets carried a 12-game winning streak to Jackson.
“It was special to be able to take this program back to Jackson,” said Williams, who credits her father, Walter, and Starkville boys coach Greg Carter as major influences. “I played here for a season under coach Schmidt and two more under Brenda Young. Those two ladies instilled in me how to become a leader. They taught me how to own up to your own mistakes. Anyone can accept accolades. Owning up to your mistakes and being able to correct things is vitally important.
“After finishing at MSU, I had a chance to coach for two seasons under Itawamba (Community College) coach Nanci Gray, who was at Tupelo at the time. The chance to come back home followed, and I worked for one season under Tim Wilder, who is now the superintendent of schools for the South Panola School District.”
Williams then received the call with a job offer too good to refuse.
“The head coach position opened here and I was really blessed they considered me,” Williams said. “It was a life-changing moment. It has been 11 wonderful seasons. Growing up, I always liked Pat Summit and enjoyed following the Tennessee Vols. I always kept up with Mississippi State since they were in my town.
“I wanted to coach and make an impact in the lives of young people. Even though I couldn’t play in college, that didn’t mean I couldn’t help someone else become a Lady Vol or Lady Bulldog. The whole coaching experience here has been wonderful.”
Schmidt said timing is everything in coaching. She is proud the timing is right for her former player.
“A lot of people expect you to walk in and win right away,” Schmidt said. “It doesn’t work that way. You have to establish a philosophy and you have to build a program. You have to have a group of girls who buy into your philosophy, and that has to extend over several years.
“During the summer, when we played games and attended camps, I watched Kristie’s team play. When I saw them up close and person, I saw a chemistry and a bond. Even though it was just a practice session in the summer, I could tell they had something really special. Look for it to continue.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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