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Despite hits, WSSU still in good shapeWhat's going on in the athletic program at Winston-Salem State University?
The Rams lost both their men's and women's head basketball coaches within a two-week period. First Debra Clark, who had forged a 113-92 record in seven seasons, left the program to head the women's program at Florida A&M. Then, Rick Duckett, who had led the Rams to three consecutive winning seasons and two CIAA Basketball Tournament championships while compiling a 73-19 record at WSSU, left to become an assistant at the University of South Carolina. Less than a week later Anne Little, the Rams' athletic director, resigned under fire. Now Winston-Salem State is charged with the task of filling three major vacancies in their athletic department. Dr. Harold Martin, who served as interim chancellor at the school for nearly two years before being named to the post permanently, has the opportunity to chart the course for the program's future. The decisions he and his search committees make in the upcoming weeks will impact the program's athletic program for years to come. Looking at the situation from the outside, one might think there are underlying problems at Winston-Salem State that helped create the current situation. Surely any time three major hits are taken in such a short span of time by any program something has to be going on internally. Is that the case at Winston-Salem State? It certainly appears to be so, although there are mitigating circumstances. One of the issues at the heart of the matter is the constantly changing face of college athletics. Duckett and Clark are coaches who bring much to the table. There aren't a whole lot, particularly in black college sports, who are as talented. They both possess a plethora of skills that translate into winning and respectability. Any program that is able to land them should consider themselves to be indeed fortunate. As for Winston-Salem State, the athletic program remains on solid ground because of many things, not the least of which is a steep tradition in excelling in competition both in the CIAA and in the NCAA ranks. The men's basketball team's success, a CIAA women's softball championship in 2000, the success of the football program which has produced consecutive CIAA championships under Coach Kermit Blount, were high-water marks for which Little accepted credit, undeservedly. Yet, it translated in her being named the CIAA Athletic Director of the Year in 2000 when all three teams swept conference crowns. With a history that includes the likes of Coach C.E. "Bighouse" Gaines, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Cleo Hill, Carlos Terry, Yancey Thigpen, Oronde Gadsden and others who went on to the professional ranks, there is still much luster to the Rams' outward appearance. However, the newly appointed chancellor needs to find a way to tap both into the alumni base and also involve the community in helping to translate the Rams' success on the field into increased revenue from the corporate community. Many people close to the Rams' program note that as one of Little's nemesis which she never overcame. Two other key elements must also be considered in the search for a new athletic director for the WSSU program. Whoever is named to assume the vacated post must have considerable experience in working with coaches. A professional working relationship with coaches is vital to the success of any program. A knowledge of what's needed from coaches, in terms of resources, is another area that must be well-defined. Without the essentials for recruiting and scholarships, it is nearly impossible for coaches to continually produce a winner. While Duckett and Clark would probably
have eventually flown the coop for more attractive
offers, both cited the aforementioned items as helping to
hasten their departure. Little, who was hired by
Dr. Alvin Schexnider, the previous WSSU
chancellor, was fortunate to experience the successes that
the Rams enjoyed during her tenure. Some might
even suggest that the Rams' football and basketball
teams were successful despite her and not because of her. Sam Davis, a graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is sports editor at The Chronicle in Winston-Salem and a freelance writer. © 2001 Azeez Communications, Inc.
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