Photo: New Hernando girls’ basketball coach Shay Watkins at center court of the new Hernando High School gymnasium. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Hernando High School has introduced its new head girls’ basketball coach. Shay Watkins, who last year led the DeSoto Central Middle School girls’ program while assisting the high school team, met with players Thursday morning at the new high school gymnasium.
“I’ve heard great things about Hernando High School,” Watkins said. “I’ve also heard great things about the girls. I’m looking forward to working with them to develop them, not just as basketball players but as young ladies, as well.”
Prior to DeSoto Central, Watkins was the athletic director for Sacred Heart School in Southaven. She fills the vacancy left when Blake Jones resigned to focus on his business ventures.
New Hernando girls’ basketball coach Shay Watkins
The Saltillo native played one year of college basketball at Itawamba Community College and had a scholarship offer to play at Valdosta State. However, Watkins chose instead to focus on a triple major in kinesiology, psychology, and communications at Mississippi State University.
Watkins said she will be stressing defense to her Lady Tigers, led by Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year Fran Kelly, last year reached the Class 7A quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion Tupelo.
“I am a defensive coach, I think defense turns into offense,” Watkins said. ‘If you work on defense the offense would be easy.”
The new coach said she will also focus on a commitment to character, discipline, and effort.
Meeting players for the first time Thursday, Watkins said she was pleased with their sense of energy, adding, “it looks like they’re ready to commit to what I have to show this program,” she said.
The hiring has come late in the process, since it was just recently that Jones decided to not let his business interfere with basketball. Watkins said she was not thinking of leaving DeSoto Central until this opportunity became available.
“I was not expecting any of this, I really wasn’t,” she said. “But Mr. (Hernando principal Duane) Case said that I came highly recommended and that made me feel good that people believe in what I do.”
