There will not be a basketball team in better shape than the Campbell County Cougars.  New Head Coach Darrell Cox has had his first Cougar team running since he arrived in the spring.

Case in point.  Thirteen Cougars now run the mile in under six-minutes.

From top to bottom:  Lawson Shoun, Devlin Dukes, Jake Lane & Bryce Duncan were ready for the first practice about 1/2 an hour ahead of schedule.

Cox, a key member of the Glory-Day Cougars in the mid-1980s, inherits a young team that returns two players who started many games last season in Drew Jordan and Carter Wells.  With football season concluded, Jordan, Devlin Dukes and Landon Addington were able to attend the season’s first practice on Monday afternoon at Brown Gym.  SEASON SCHEDULE.

Seconds into practice, Cox shouted, “I said one dribble on this drill.”  There’s no doubt who is in charge, and there’s no doubt that Cox is all business in his efforts to return the Cougars to the glory days of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s when the Cougars were consistent winners and played for district championships.

Assisting Cox in his first season are former Cougar Anthony Walden (CCHS Class of ’96) and Blake Arnold.  Cox describes his staff as “all headed in the same direction” with their basketball philosophy.

Cox’s first challenge of getting his team in shape was met.  The next obstacle is to change the culture.  One step in that direction is having his office next to the locker room.  “I can’t be easily accessible if I’m way down the hall around the corner,” Cox said.

The first-year Cougar coach points out that the biggest thing for this team is to identify its identity.  One of Cox’s strengths is the ability to pick up on personalities as he leads his team toward the season and home opener two-weeks from tonight against Oneida.

The Cougars’ run to return to success is well underway.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 10/30/2018-6AM)