CENTRE – Richard Barton has coached a lot of the girls on Cherokee County Lady Warrior basketball team in middle school. Now he’s getting his shot at them again on the varsity level.
Barton, a 2012 Cherokee County High School graduate, has been named the new Lady Warrior varsity coach, the school announced Thursday. It was also announced that Bret Henderson will take over the baseball duties, and Chris Foster is the new band director.
All three are excited to begin their new endeavors.
“I’m pumped,” said Barton, who will replace Leah Nelson. “I’ve been coaching middle school basketball for the past four years, and all of these girls I’m getting to work with are girls I’ve had in my program. I’ve got a relationship with them already. I don’t feel like I’m starting over. I’m just kind of picking up where we left off with all of them. I’m excited about what we have and the potential that they have. I also know what we have coming up. We have some fantastic kids, and that’s what I’m most excited about.”
Barton played his senior year at Cherokee County High School for Travis Barnes. He’s also spent time coaching with former veteran middle school coach Claude Hooper and also learned from Nelson during her tenure with the Lady Warriors. The son-in-law of Cherokee County Schools Superintendent Mike Welsh and brother-in-law to Spring Garden basketball player Cam Welsh, Barton has also spent time with Spring Garden girls basketball coach Ricky Austin learning the game.
Barton feels he’s now ready to take over his own varsity program.
“To be able to give back and win at a place that helped me become what I am today and helped me develop into the person I am, that’s a big deal to me,” Barton said. “That was a big part in me deciding to apply for this job and be able to be the next head coach.
“I think there’s pretty high expectations. I think getting these kids to buy into that, for them knowing the potential they have, that’s going to be the biggest part. Overall, we’re pretty young. We’re only going to have one senior and that’s Ella Garmany. Whatever happens this year we’ll hopefully be able to build on that in the future. I hope we’re able to go a little further than just getting to a sub-region game. I know we have the potential. The talent is there. We’ve just got to foster that and get it out of these girls.”
Speaking of coaching influences, Henderson has had plenty of those himself.
He’s an Alexandria graduate who played for and coached with recently retired veteran Valley Cub coach Andy Shaw.
Henderson played a season at Gadsden State before the program was disbanded in 2011. He returned to Alexandria and coached with Shaw for five years before moving on to Saks with another Alexandria alum Wes Ginn.
Henderson coached with Ginn for two seasons before helping another Alexandria alum, Blake Jennings, at Ohatchee for three seasons.
He spent last season as an assistant on former coach Will Smith’s staff.
“Being around the kids for a year, I can see the drive where they want to get better,” Henderson said. “We don’t have a real big senior class. We have four seniors, but two of them have been around forever. Connor Wilson becoming a senior, he’s been there for seven years. I remember facing him when I was at Ohatchee a few years ago. I’m super-excited. They’re hungry to learn more about the game. They’re trying to separate themselves and become a stronger baseball program.
“Coach Smith did a good job of building a competitive team. I’m looking forward to them wanting more. The playoffs are where I feel like you’ve got to be. Hopefully we’ll make it there, but we’ve got a really tough area coming up this year. We’re in there with Etowah, DAR and North Jackson.”
As for Foster, he’s originally from McDonough, Ga., and a recent Jacksonville State graduate.
“I’m extremely excited to get started at Cherokee County,” Foster said. “I know I have big shoes to fill with Ms. (Haley) Stanskey leaving, but planning is underway for what I’m sure will be a great year.”
Foster thanked the parents and the community for welcoming to him to Centre.