Coleman, Pee Dee Academy going strong

MULLINS -- Tradition never graduates.

Pee Dee Academy girls basketball coach Jerry Coleman placed the quote in a spot where he was sure all of his players could see it.

It serves as a subtle reminder of what is expected of them, and what he’s been able to help establish in seven seasons.

The Golden Eagles are coming off their second SCISA Class 2A title under Coleman and third since 2000.

Pee Dee has made the playoffs each year under Coleman, and with a 12-4 mark thus far, the Eagles’ streak doesn’t appear to be in danger.

“I’ve been blessed with a lot of great players who’ve worked really hard over the years,” Coleman said. “Any coach will tell you, it’s the players that make great coaches.”

And vice versa.

“He’s the best coach I’ve had,” senior Kelsey Dozier said. “He pushes you to always be your best and to always work hard.

“That’s why we won state last year.”

While Coleman has achieved ultimate success at Pee Dee, winning is nothing new.

The coaching bug

Coleman is originally from Latta and played under legendary Vikings coach E.E. Rice.

“Everything I knew about coaching and basketball, I learned from coach Rice,” Coleman said. “He’s one of the best coaches that has ever been in this area or this state, and I think I tried to copy everything he did.”

After attending Francis Marion, Coleman earned a job at Marion High School. In 1983, he took over a struggling Swamp Fox boys program.

And that first season made him rethink his life’s ambition.

“They hadn’t made the playoffs in forever,” Coleman said. “My first year, we lost our first nine games. I started thinking to myself, ‘Oh man, is this really what I want to do?’

“But fortunately, we had some talented players coming up and things turned around.”

The Swamp Foxes made the playoffs the next year and were perennial contenders for a number of years.

“There were three years in a row where I thought we were the second-best team in the state,” Coleman said. “We lost to Eau Claire three times, and nobody else could beat them either.”

Coleman was at Marion for 22 years before retiring in 1999 and taking a year off.

But his best success was yet to come.

A whole new ballgame

After reenergizing for a year, Coleman was approached about taking over the Pee Dee Academy boys program in 2000.

“I didn’t really have a plan about getting back into coaching, but it was just the right situation coming along,” Coleman said.

And after winning the state title in 2001, Pee Dee girls coach Marni Edwards announced she was leaving, opening the door for Coleman.

“(Marni) was really responsible for building that program,” Coleman said. “I just came in and continued on with her work.”

Coleman won his first state title in 2004 with an Eagles squad that went 30-1, losing only to Wilson High School.

“That was really special,” Coleman said. “No matter what level you’re at, winning a state title is so rewarding.

“I tell people that title was on the girls. All I did that year was drive the bus.”

Adjustments

After coaching boys for so long, switching to girls did take some getting used to, Coleman said.

“I’m a yeller, and they know that,” Coleman said.

“One of the things he always says to us is, ‘Don’t play like girls,’” senior Katherine Rogers said. “That’s just telling us play more physical and more up tempo.”

Part of Coleman and the Eagles success has come from a full-court, run-and-gun type of offense and defense.

“Coach Rice would roll over in his grave if he could see how we play now,” Coleman said. “It was just something I adopted at Marion because of the athletes we had, and it’s been good to me ever since.”

Especially last season.

The Eagles were no one’s pick to win the title, mainly for one reason:

“We couldn’t really shoot or score a lot of points on offense,” Rogers said. “We won that title with defense and creating easy layups the other way.”

“I think that’s what makes him such a good coach,” Dozier said of Coleman. “We were struggling on offense, so he knew we had to step up our defense.”

Coleman’s determination never wavered, either.

“I think he was the only person who thought we could do it,” junior C.C. Causey said. “He never let us believe we couldn’t.”

Legacy

With two titles already under his belt, Coleman shows no signs of letting up.

“It does tire you, coaching both boys and girls sometimes,” Coleman said. “But I’ve still got that fire, and the kids still respond.”

Coleman has also helped institute a “B” team at Pee Dee Academy and every summer has a basketball camp for young players.

“We try to get them young,” Coleman said. “There’s no real feeder program for the private schools so you have to find other ways.”

Both programs have enjoyed tremendous success under Coleman and that tradition has become front and center for his players.

“You always go out there and play hard,” Causey said, “because you don’t want to let him or anybody else down.”