Hatcher New Coach @ Perry County Central.

[oral32]

Alan Hatcher (Graves Co. High School), according to article in today's Mayfield Messenger, has been named the new Coach @ Perry County Central.

[sweet16]

Look at the PC thread.

 

It is true

[WKYfootballguy]

It is true...

 

Hatcher Basketball Era ends in western Kentucky

 

Written by Paul Schaumburg, Community Relations Director, Graves County Schools

 

Graves County boys’ basketball head coach Allan Hatcher is leaving western Kentucky, after a legendary career that culminated with his selection last March to the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches Court of Honor. He is the new boys’ basketball head coach of Perry County Central High School in far southeastern Kentucky.

 

Hatcher says the move puts him closer to his family, including his mother, two of his three adult sons, and his grandchildren. It also provides him a new challenge, at a school that recently consolidated and is similar in size to Graves County High School.

 

“The administration here has always let me coach,” Hatcher said in reflecting on his Graves County tenure. “They’ve been very supportive and have stuck with me through good times and bad and that’s really all a coach can ask for – an opportunity to do his job. I really want to commend Superintendent (Brady) Link, (principal Ward) Bushart, and the school board for providing me this opportunity and support. (Bobby) Miller was superintendent when I got this job and I surely want to thank him, too. I appreciate the great assistant coaches who have worked so hard in our program over the years.

 

“I’ve watched our school grow academically and athletically with the facilities we have,” Hatcher continued. “Our sports are so much more competitive than they used to be. There’s a good thing going on at Graves County and it’s getting better and better. But, when you have a chance to get closer to your mom and a lot of your family, sometimes you have to do that.

 

“The highlights for me are the kids and the great things they’ve done,” he said. “You want them to become better players while they play for you, but the most important thing is for them to become great people. What you really appreciate as a coach is when kids come back to you and tell you the difference you made in their lives.

 

“I like to coach basketball and I like to work with kids and that’s never changed,” Hatcher concluded. “If I had it to do over again, there’s no doubt I’d choose to coach basketball. Some people say if you like your job, you don’t have to work a day in your life. Now, this (new job) is a new challenge, a situation that’s exciting. My goal is to win the state tournament. I will be very involved in the community there. I’ve surely enjoyed my life and career in western Kentucky and now I look forward to this new chapter in my life.”

 

A coach for the past 28 years, his tenure at Graves County spanned 15 years. He led his Graves boys’ teams to 12 district titles, six regional championships, and a final four appearance in the state tournament. His boys’ record at the school is 323-104.

 

From 1994-96, the coach performed double duty, leading both the Eagles and Lady Eagles. His girls’ teams were 46-14, won a regional championship, and reached the state tournament’s final four.

 

In six years at Marshall County in the 1980s, Hatcher’s boys’ teams fashioned a record of 152-36, won four regional championships, and reached the state tournament’s final four.

 

In his native West Virginia, Hatcher capped off a 119-48 record over seven years when his Williamson High School team won the 1983 AA state championship.

 

Additionally, Hatcher coached boys’ high school basketball in Portsmouth, Ohio, for a year. He was an assistant coach at Western Kentucky University and at Morehead State University. He also coached the Kentucky All-Stars, a team that traveled to Europe in the summer of 1988.

 

His overall record now stands at 663-210. In 20 years of coaching Kentucky boys’ basketball, Hatcher’s teams compiled ten regional championships and Sweet 16 appearances.

 

His Graves County teams have played tournaments in Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia, Nevada, and Hawaii. Several of his players have gone on to play college basketball at Alabama-Huntsville, Bethel, Brescia, Coastal Carolina, David Lipscomb, Freed-Hardeman, Lambuth, and Mid-Continent.

 

In 2004, Hatcher added the position of Athletic Director to his duties.

 

Hatcher attended Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va., and Murray State University.

[Bubba Wilson]

PCC has hired one of the best in the state at his brand of basketball. Of course they already had one of the best in Al Holland. The 14th region will be very interesting next season. Good luck to the Commodores and Coach Hatcher.

[rojas4]

Hatcher is one of Kentucky's top 8 or 10 coaches IMO. However, personally I have never enjoyed watching his teams play. They play a very deliberate style of play.

[Big Slick]

I never ranked coaches in the state , but Hatch would be at the top! Good luck in a new part of the state!

[nyrangers]

Wow! What a steal!!!! What does this mean for Coach Campbell?

[Master of the Hardwood]

I heard possible assistant at Hazard if they can find him a job. His wife already works over there.

[train3399]

Hatcher will do well.

[TaylorMadeBoy]

Wow! What a steal!!!! What does this mean for Coach Campbell?

Actually, what does theis mean for PCC?

[GO15AROD]

PCC fans will have to get used to the slow style.

[rojas4]

Its more like sloooooooooooooooooooow style.

[NEERFAN]

How in the heck did he coach both the girls/boys for three seasons at Graves?

[Bart Fletch]

He wont play slow ball at PCC.

[rojas4]

He wont play slow ball at PCC.

I am not too sure Hatcher has ever coached any other tempo than deliberate. His teams usually average in the high 40s or 50s per game.