Madison Consolidated High School has started a search for a new head coach for the boys’ basketball program after turning in his resignation. Coach Adam Stotts will not be returning to MCHS next year.
Madison has been making many coaching changes this year by hiring a new football, volleyball, girls soccer, and tennis coach. The next addition will be a new basketball coach, with interviews starting today.
The Cubs retain three starters and many key players who came off the bench. The starters will be Quincy Reynolds, Landon True, and Mason Davis. The bench players returning will be Damon Harden, Gabe Fife, Austin Dailey, Zach Vinups, and as well as some key contributors from the junior varsity.
Those players will be looking to turn those close defeats into wins next year, including senior big man James Schafer. Schafer was likely going to be a key cog in this year’s team, but an unfortunate ACL injury in the fall derailed his junior campaign.
Unfortunately, the Cubs will lose big pieces in guard Logan Jester, their do-it-all swingman and exchange student Oscar Gonzalez, and forwards Ryder Jones and Gunner Jones.
The Madison Cubs are feeling good about the upcoming season and feel the coach is the only piece missing right now.
The coaching search had a sizeable interest as MCHS Athletic Director Patric Morrison noted that Madison had 28 applicants and ultimately decided to interview six.
Some varsity players gave their input on what they wanted to see in a new head coach.
“I want someone who can keep the culture we have and build to become a legacy for years to come,” said James Shafer.
Varsity captain Landon True said, “The new coach needs to know the game of basketball. They need to know how to react and respond to different situations during the game. The new coach should also be able to get us out of our comfort zone and make us able to win games.”
Mason Davis said, “I just want stability and a coach understanding the game. I want someone who knows what it takes to win.”
MCHS Athletic Director Patrick Morrison has high standards for the new coach.
“Obviously, I think Coach Stotts did a good job here and helped create a culture where players are first. When looking for a new coach, I have an acronym, C.U.B.S., that I like to keep at the focal point. C stands for character; I want someone who will build our young men, in this case for basketball, and make men of high character. Who will do the right thing even when no one is looking. Unity: I want someone who is going to create a family-type atmosphere. Believe: I want people who will develop a belief system where our kids believe they can succeed. The last is S, for sportsmanship, which means somebody who will do the right thing and do everything in the best way possible. We want our kids out displaying sportsmanship.
Morrison’s use of the C.U.B.S. acronym plays a significant role in the standards that will be held for the applicants being interviewed.
Morrison continued, “So when looking at a potential new coach, we want someone of high character who will create a family-type atmosphere. Someone who believes in themselves but also believes in our athletes and what we can do here at Madison. Lastly, are they also going to display great sportsmanship?”
The Madison Cubs went 7-17 last season, with Quincy Reynolds averaging 15.4 ppg. Madison had a good draw in the sectionals, landing a bye in the first round. Madison then played Silver Creek in the second round but lost 60-66. The Madison Cubs don’t look at this season as a failure but more as a building block for the future.
The Cubs lost nine games by six points or less. One of those losses came from Richmond, who were 18-0 at the time, beating the Cubs by only four. Another loss was against eventual sectional 29 champion Batesville, who the Cubs had on the ropes until the fourth quarter.
Following the interviews, the new coach will be decided in the next couple of weeks. Be sure to follow the Madison Consolidated High School Facebook page for more updates.
