Friday Features: Shorter basketball coaches celebrate milestone victories
By Mike Perrin
Shorter University men’s basketball coach
Chad Warner and women’s basketball coach
Vic Mitchell both reached milestones in their careers this season. Mitchell knew it was coming, but Warner was surprised.
When the Lady Hawks finished their 2013-14 season with a disappointing 6-20 record, Mitchell had recorded 399 victories at the Rome, Ga., school. Hitting the magic 400 took three tries at the start of this season, but on Nov. 18 Shorter topped Clark Atlanta 80-67.
“I did not feel any pressure, but because the year before ended on 399, there was some anticipation to get that first win this season,” said Mitchell, who has coached at Shorter for a quarter century. “When the win did take place, it was a great feeling because of how the players reacted. They were very excited to be part of the win and that, in turn, made me feel great. As a coach, you always want to see your team excited and having fun and they genuinely were happy to be part of the 400th win.
“It was also great that the win took place at Shorter in front of our fans. The administration, Coach Bill Peterson – our athletic director in particular – presented me a nice framed jersey with 400 on the front that is hanging prominently in my office. I appreciated what they did for that win very much and hope every one of my former players at Shorter felt a part of it as well.”
About two months later, on Jan. 15, Warner’s squad edged Lee University 79-76 and the coach had his 150th victory. “To be honest with you, I had no idea how many wins I had,” he said. “It was not until after the game that someone told me that is was 150. I try to never discuss winning and losing – period – with my teams. I really try to focus on what we need to do to be successful. As long as we do those things, it usually takes care of itself.”
Warner, now in his eighth year at Shorter, thought back to his debut with the Hawks. “I think the thing I remember most about my first game is that it was in my hometown and I had a lot of family and friends in attendance,” he said. “I remember seeing them before the game and then I blinked and the game was over. The game seemed incredibly quick to me. It took a while before I realized we had actually won. I still have a picture hanging in my office from that night. It was a special deal.”
Mitchell’s first victory has slipped his mind, he said. “I honestly do not remember my first collegiate win from 31 years ago. I was 23 years old at Reinhardt College – a junior college at the time – and that first year was very overwhelming in so many ways, mainly in that I did not know what I was doing! I was women’s head coach, assistant men’s coach, intramural director and taught as an HPE instructor. My first win of the 400 at Shorter was against Columbus State in the fall of 1990 – and I had to look that up,” he said.
Both men shared their love of Shorter when they reflected on their milestone wins.
“I am thankful to have been at a place like Shorter that has supported our program,” Warner said. “It also really special to be able to have some success in my hometown. Rome, Ga., has always been a great and supportive place to me.”
“I have been fortunate to be able to coach for this long at one institution,” Mitchell said, “and I have been blessed with good players throughout the past 25 years. The wins have been great, but there is no comparison to the tremendous relationships I have built with all the players I have coached at Shorter.”
Winning in the Gulf South Conference – this season the Lady Hawks are 9-11 overall and 5-9 in the league while the men are 15-5 and 10-4 – is a challenge, the coaches said.
“The GSC is one of the best basketball conferences in the country,” Warner said. “I am honored to be a small part of it. I know that I better be at my best each and every day as a coach in order for my team to have a chance. Hopefully, that will correspond in the standings as well.”
“The first year of the transition (into Division II from the NAIA) was pretty good,” Mitchell said of his team’s 10-8 conference mark in 2012-13. “The second year we really struggled and this season has been better. It is a very competitive conference with really good players and coaches who prepare their teams extremely well. It has made me a better coach, and I look forward to finishing out this season making a run for the conference tournament.”
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11/14/2014 - Revival of a Rivalry.
11/21/2014 - VSU's Margaret Stauffer Finds Strength in Team, Family.
11/28/2014 - Union Off and Running.
12/05/2014 - UWA Coach Ray Stanfield Pushes Cross Country Teams to Top.
12/12/2014 - CBU Men's Basketball Making Noise.
12/19/2014 - Dickey Says UWG Football 'Right on Schedule'.
12/26/2014 - Youngsters Lead UWF Women.
1/02/2015 - UAH's Owens Rebounds From Car Crash With New Appreciation for Life, Basketball.
1/09/2015 - Freshmen Building Base for Lee Women's Success.
1/16/2015 - UWA's Chad Toocheck Overcame Addiction Lows to Reach Highs on Field.
1/23/2015 - Basketball Court at Delta State Named For a 'Legend'.