Powell temps as BJ basketball coach
Powell, who has not been a head coach at the varsity level, said that she is ready to take on that responsibility whether it is at Bob Jones or someplace else.
The sudden departure of longtime Bob Jones girl’s basketball Coach Tim Miller last week left even those close to the program surprised and stunned.
Miller announced on June 6 that he was leaving to join the staff of Alabama women’s basketball coach Wendell Hudson. The offer was like a dream that came true for Miller, an alumnus of the University of Alabama.
As Miller cleaned out his office on Monday, players filed in for summer practices in preparation for their first play dates.
“I was happy for him because I know he wanted the job for a long time so I just congratulated him,” said rising senior China Leary. “Even though Coach Miller is gone, we still want to push forward and do the best we can this year. We are getting ready for our play dates and waiting for our new coach to come in and teach us some new things.”
Bob Jones will host the first three play dates of their seven allowed this summer next week when they welcome 16 teams counting varsity, junior varsity and freshmen. The games will be June 18-20 in the main and auxiliary gyms.
The job of getting the team ready for the play dates falls to varsity assistant head coach and junior varsity coach Charmaine Powell.
She came with Miller from Jeff Davis High School in Montgomery five years ago. Before coming to Bob Jones, she coached with Miller for seven years at Jeff Davis where she was on the bench as his team won a state championship in 2006.
At Bob Jones, Powell was on the bench next to Miller as the school’s girls basketball program surged to heights never seen before, winning state titles in 2008, 2009, and 2011. The team played in the state championship game again in 2012 but lost to Hoover.
“I am very happy for him,” Powell said. “He has accomplished everything there is to accomplish at the high school level.”
Despite graduation losses, the news is not all bad for the program. Two starters return and they are at key positions. Point guard Lindsey Jennings and shooting guard China Leary are both elite players who will play at the next level. Jennings is playing in an AAU Elite Showcase Tournament later this summer in Atlanta. She is being recruited by two Division 1 colleges so far.
Overall, there is plenty of experience in the 10 players selected by Powell and Miller (before he left) for next year’s varsity team.
“It’s a challenge, and I am ready to step up to the challenge for ever how long it is,” said Powell who will be the coach “until they tell me to stop.”
“Right now we are practicing every day. We’re continuing to get ready for our play dates. It is just assumed that I would continue on coaching in the absence of a head coach. And I don’t have a problem with that. I have always worked as the assistant coach so it was automatic for me to step in and continue the program and make a smooth transition until the next coach gets here,” Powell said.
In addition to running practice for three Bob Jones teams, Powell is working on the play date schedule, and working with the booster club for the program’s fundraiser.
Powell, who has not been a head coach at the varsity level, said that she is ready to take on that responsibility whether it is at Bob Jones or someplace else.
“I’ve been looking for the opportunity to be a head coach, but haven’t been given that privilege yet,” she said. “Just recently in the last two years, I decided I wanted to be a head coach and have been actively seeking a head coaching position.”
Sources at the school said that a search committee has been formed to seek the next girl’s head basketball coach. It is composed of some parents and the school administrators.
