After one of the most successful seasons for the Jefferson Davis Community College basketball teams in years and a trip to the second round of the ACCC regional basketball tournament, Warhawk head coach Allen Gainer has been named Coach of the Year for the southern division.
Gainer led the Warhawks to a 14-13 season this year and a 10-6 conference record before losing to Gadsden State in the second round last week.
The 14 wins for JDCC were the most for the Warhawks in over seven seasons and tied them for the most wins in the past three seasons combined.
While the honor was given to Gainer, he said the main thing he wants to stress would be the numerous people that have played a role in supporting our program over the years. “From Dr. McBride, Karen Reynolds, and David Jones to our faculty, staff, and students,” Gainer said. “With them, of special importance to me would be to thank three people in particular with first, Bruce Stewart, former head coach of Northwest Florida College who has served as a kind of mentor to me and encourager of me since I have been at JDCC. Second, John Douglas, head coach at Fort Valley State College in Georgia who talked with me for hours on end this past summer helping us to develop our pressure defense that was the team’s identity this year.”
The third person Gainer wanted to thank was his dad.
“My dad has always been by my side to celebrate wins or commiserate losses,” Gainer said. “He has driven our bus, kept the scorebook, swept the floor, and done everything in his power to help us be successful.”
Gainer also said the honor could not have been won if it were not for the kids on the team.
“Most importantly, though, is to say how wonderful these kids have been this year,” Gainer said. “They have done everything asked of them, on the floor and off. They brought a work ethic and commitment to team that I have never experienced as a coach before. Their desire to achieve is what was really the difference for us this year.”
Gainer said the fact that most of them will return next year is exciting to him, and makes him eager to get started with off-season workouts.
“The kids were terribly disappointed with the loss to Gadsden and have a sense of unfinished business that I think will carry over to push them to get better for next year,” Gainer said. “We just need to carefully evaluate who we add to the team for next year to be sure they fit the high character that these kids have.”