Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter



CAT Tracks for June 8, 2006
SAM WEAVER LEAVES CAIRO FOR ALMA MATER

Well...went out to the high school this afternoon and was asked why the news about the new boys' basketball coach leaving had not been posted. Had a simple answer...had not heard.

Did a quick Google search and found...NOTHING! Did an AOL search and found the following articles...

Weaver Comes Home To Coach Reddies

By Troy Mitchell

HENDERSON NAMES WEAVER HEAD BASKETBALL COACH

ARKADELPHIA, ARK. ---- Henderson State University Athletic Director Sam Goodwin officially introduced Thurlon "Sam" Weaver as the Reddies' new head men's basketball coach in a press conference Monday afternoon in the Reddie Athletic Center on the campus of Henderson State University.

Weaver was selected from a pool of more than 75 applicants and will officially take over the reigns of the program immediately.

"We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to hire someone with a great basketball background to lead our men's basketball program." Goodwin said. "Sam is a graduate of Henderson State and it is great to have him back as part of the Reddie Athletic family.

Goodwin said that Weaver was one of five finalists for the position that were brought on campus for interviews the past two weeks with the five-member search committee and Reddie President Dr. Charles Dunn.

"It's great to be able to come back where it all started," said Weaver. "When you get into this profession, you always hope to come back and be a head coach at your alma mater. I have so much respect for this institution and it is unbelievable that I am getting this opportunity."

A 1981 graduate of Henderson State University, Weaver has been a coach for more than 25 years, spending 22 years at the collegiate level.

"I hope that we can bring more stability and bring our program back into the national light. However, it will be a step by step process and it won't happen overnight," Weaver said. "We also want gain integrity on the academic side and make sure our players earn their degree and become a major asset in whatever and wherever they go following their playing days at Henderson State."

Weaver, who is the 26th head coach in the program's 95-year history, comes to Arkadelphia after spending the previous two seasons as head coach and athletic director at Kennett High School in Kennett, Mo.

Prior to his move to Kennett High School, Weaver served as an assistant coach at Mississippi State University from 2002 to 2004. During his two seasons at MSU, the Bulldogs won the SEC West Division championship both years, won the SEC title in 2004 having a 14-2 record in league play and a 26-4 record overall.

Weaver served as head coach at NCAA Division I Northern Iowa from 1998 to 2001 and Alcorn State from 1993 to 1996.

While at Northern Iowa, Weaver led the Panthers to six straight wins to begin the 1999-2000 season, recording victories over Iowa State, Alabama, Air Force, and Bowling Green.

After his stint at Northern Iowa, Weaver returned to Arkansas in 2001 to coach at Clarksville High School where he led his team to a second place league finish, finishing fourth in the region and appearing in the Arkansas 3-A State Tournament.

From 1996 to 1998 he served as Associate Head Coach to Tim Floyd at Iowa State University helping lead the Cyclones to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1997. Weaver also helped recruit and worked with such players as Kelvin Cato, Marcus Fizer, and Paul Shirley.

Weaver recruited eight of the nation's top high school and junior college prospects while at Iowa State, which prompted national scouting services to rank the class as the top recruiting class in 1997.

Weaver also served as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale from 1989 to 1993, Missouri Southern College during the 1988-89 season, and Drake University in 1987-88.

Weaver replaces former coach Joe Redmond, who resigned from the position to become an assistant coach at Division I University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

Weaver played two seasons at Henderson State where he helped lead the Reddies to the 1981 Arkansas Intercollegiate Championship and a NAIA District 17 title. Weaver averaged 9.4 points per game in two seasons at Henderson State while shooting 53 percent from the floor making 243 of 456 shots.

"I remember when I was playing at McNeil (Arkansas) High School in the mid 70's, Henderson State was much like the way people see the Razorbacks today," said Weaver. "I was fortunate to play with the likes of Enos Mitchell and Bruce Hines. It's great to be able to comeback and try to restore some of that great tradition."

Weaver began his coaching career shortly after his playing career at Henderson State spending five seasons at Southeast Missouri State. Earning his master's degree from the Cape Girardeau, Mo. institution, Weaver served as a graduate assistant for two seasons, and full time assistant for three years.


THE WEAVER RESUME:

From the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette...

New coach an alum with aplomb

BY PETE PERKINS

ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State Athletic Director Sam Goodwin stood before a gathering of 50 at the Reddie Athletic Center to introduce new Reddies men’s basketball Coach Sam Weaver on Monday.

“He’s a former Henderson State graduate,” Goodwin said.

Goodwin paused for a second, smiled and said, “Well, no, I guess Sam’s still a graduate.”

Weaver laughed as he took his place behind the podium.

“I hope they didn’t take my degree away,” Weaver said, “because I’ve been using it all over the country.”

Weaver, 47, was hired to replace Joe Remond, who resigned on May 3 after three seasons as Henderson State’s head coach to take a job as an assistant at North Carolina-Wilmington.

Weaver served the past two seasons as head boys basketball coach and athletic director at Kennett (Mo. ) High School. Weaver was the head coach at Alcorn State from 1993-96, and an assistant at Mississippi State, Northern Iowa, Iowa State, Southern Illinois, Missouri Southern, Drake, and Southeast Missouri State.

He played for Henderson State under Bobby Reese in 1979-1980, and Jerry Kirksey in 1980-1981.

“It’s great to have Sam back as part of the Reddie athletic family,” Goodwin said.

Weaver was recruited to Henderson State out of McNeil High by former Henderson State Coach Don Dyer. Weaver spent two seasons in junior college before he signed with Henderson State, after Dyer had left to become Central Arkansas’ coach.

But Weaver said he and Dyer remained in contact, and that Dyer called him about the Henderson State opening when Redmond resigned.

“Coach Dyer called and asked if I was interested,” Weaver said. “I said I was, and he said, ‘ Well put in your resume. ’”

Weaver had expressed interest in a previous opening at Henderson State, when Rand Chappell resigned to take over at Central Arkansas in 2003. Goodwin said Redmond already had been promoted to head coach from his role as a Henderson State assistant when Weaver called, but that Weaver impressed him then.

“I didn’t really know a lot about him,” Goodwin said. “But I asked. He had a great reputation around here, and Coach Dyer knew of him and had very nice things to say about him.”

Weaver’s mother, Pearlena Turner, a retired teacher who still substitutes in Little Rock, was at the Reddie Athletic Center on Monday.

“The one thing we’re going to do first of all is make sure our guys graduate,” Weaver said. “Education is a big part of who I am and what I’m about. My mother taught school for 35 years, so I didn’t have a choice. I had to go to class, so it’s ingrained in me that I pass that on.

“ That’s something we’re going to work very hard at, but also, with that, we’re going to try to put the best players, the best people, and the best team that we can on the floor. We’re going to try to take this program a long way.”

Weaver said he will recruit from coast to coast and beyond.

“As long as no one puts up fences or boundaries, we’re going everywhere we can,” Weaver said. “Through all the years I’ve had an opportunity to coach, I’ve made a lot of contacts inside the United States and out. I’ve already made a number of phone calls to various parts of country about players, and we’re going to explore all of those.”

He said he knows the kind of players he wants.

“We want to make sure we get good people,” Weaver said. “That’s going to the first criteria. We want to make sure we get guys who can compete, who can play, but we want to make sure we get good people.”

Goodwin said Henderson State hired the man it wanted.

“Sam’s solid,” Goodwin said. “You don’t feel like there’s any bull there. He’s a genuine guy.”

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