Bill Damuth's first year as women's head basketball coach

Bill Damuth leads first year as women's head basketball coach with a young and fresh team

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Volume 53 Issue 3

Brianna Coleman
Reporter
“The Women’s Basketball Team is young and fresh with no returns from last year,” said Bill Damuth, head basketball coach.
   Not only is the team new, but this is also Damuth’s first year as head coach. With this being his tenth year here, he says he faces the challenge with having a new team.
   “We were supposed to finish No.1. The teams in the past have been outstanding. It wasn’t a surprise. Being statistically preseason ranked No.5 in the country and No.1 in the conference, doesn’t really mean much. The preseason schedule is tough but, we hope to grow through the process,” said Damuth.
    When asked how the team relationship was with each other, he said “The team doesn’t like me during practice. But other than that, our relationship as team and coach is neutral. The ladies work hard. We have talented players and should be able to win.” 
    Damuth said Michelle White and Gloria Brown are transfers,who are key contributors and have plenty of experience. 
  The goal for coach and his team is to improve every week, and every month, so that they are playing their best basketball in March and February.
    Damuth said he is confident about the season, the practices have been good.
    The women have 11 who will suit up for the game.
    “The rotation is not that deep yet, but I would like for it to become that deep”, said Damuth.
    According to Damuth, a team captain for two-year college is not necessary, maybe at a four-year level, but not at a two-year.
    If there was one thing he wanted to let the community know about the team, Damuth said, “We’re gonna play hard, and as a team every game.”

Bill Damuth's Lady Cardinals Cruise By TJC, 115-74

No. 9 Lady Cardinals Cruise By TJC, 115-74

Guy Furr and Bill Damuth

By Benny Rogers
Athens Daily Review
Just as Michael Landers did last year, Pat Smith has gone retro in his search for an assistant coach.
The second-year year head men’s basketball coach at Trinity Valley Community College has announced the hiring of Guy Furr. Furr was Leon Spencer’s assistant at TVCC from 1987-92.
Last summer, Landers, the TVCC athletic director and head women’s basketball coach, reached back into the past to hire former Kurt Budke assistant coach Bill Damuth.
“We have elevated our program with the hiring of Guy,” Smith said. “I’m really fired up about this and what it means.”
Furr replaces Cedrick Brown, who resigned at the end of the 2006-07 season to accept a head coach position at a Illinois college.
“ When Coach Brown left, I said I was going to conduct a nationwide search to find someone,” Smith said. “As it turned out, the person I was looking for was right here in Athens, Texas.”
Though Furr left TVCC, he didn’t leave the area. Remaining an Athens resident, he coached and was an administrator at Martins Mill for five years, served at Murchison superintendent for five years and was at Kemp as an administrator for five years, serving one season as interim head boys basketball coach.
“We now have one of the best recruiters in the entire country here,” Smith said. “And he also has a knowledge of this league. He is a great person and knows TVCC and this area.
“He is a person I’m very comfortable with and is obsessed with recruiting.”
During his first tenure at TVCC, Furr was instrumental in recruiting Nick Van Exel and Shawn Kemp, both of whom went to the NBA, and former University of Kentucky star Neil Derrick.
“I’m ecstatic, and very excited to be coming back to the college,” Furr said. “I told Pat the first time I was here I was trying to get good players so I could get a leg up on moving on. I didn’t realize what a great place this was, like I do now.”
Furr said the overall success of the college’s athletic program since he left has established TVCC as a place athletes want to attend.
“A lot has changed at college since I was last here.” Furr said. “The college’s reputation is even better with the championships the women’s team, cheerleaders and football team have won.
“Back then, it was right after the name change (Henderson County Junior College to TVCC) and it was confusing to recruits at the time to call them and tell them you were from Trinity Valley. Now they know all about the college and its championship tradition.”
Furr said he was thankful for a chance to return.
“I’d like to thank Pat and Mr. (Ron) Baugh and his people for this opportunity,” Furr said. “I’m looking forward to being a part of the TVCC family again.”
Smith said, other than recruiting, establishing relationships with the players would top Furr’s list of responsibilities.
“It’s important to develop one-on-one relationships with the players,” Smith said. “Guy is very personable and will be very good at that.”
Furr said he’s actually known Smith longer than he has Spencer. Their paths first crossed in Tennessee in the mid-1980s, two years before Spencer hired Furr of the staff at Samford University.
Furr attended and played basketball at Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn.
Furr and wife Tina have two children — Alex, a sophomore and standout performer for the Athens Lady Hornet basketball team, and Preston, a fourth grader.
“It’s a win-win for us. We’re getting a great person and coach and don’t have to pay moving expenses,” said a smiling Smith.

CHS grad named to job advisory council - Bill Damuth

CHS grad named to job advisory council - Your Houston News: Courier: Bill Damuth knows small businesses. He started Nationwide
Plastics more than 30 years ago from scratch, working in his
kitchen with an old tel…

Lady Cardinals Tabbed Favorite

Lady Cardinals Tabbed Favorite

Basketball season tips off this week

Basketball season tips off this week

Monday, November 02, 2009

Both TVCC basketball teams begin the 2009-10 season this week.

Just as October has given way to November, football season gives way to basketball season this week at Trinity Valley Community College.

Both the women’s and men’s teams are scheduled to tip off the 2009-10 season. The Cardinals take to the floor first, opening tonight in Fort Worth against the Texas Wesleyan JV. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Lady Cardinal, who are ranked fifth nationally, play their first game on the road Wednesday in Hillsboro against Hill College at 6 p.m. It will mark the coaching debut of Bill Damuth, who had served as an assistant at the college to both Kurt Budke and Michael Landers for a combined eight years.

Fourth-year coach Pat Smith’s Cardinals are also scheduled to be in action Wednesday at home against Elevate AAU. Game time for their home opener at Cardinal Gym is 8 p.m.

The Lady Cardinals are scheduled to host the TVCC Classic Friday and Saturday. TVCC plays Neosho Community College at 7 p.m. Friday and No. 9-ranked Northeastern Oklahoma A&M at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Panola College is also participating in the classic. The Fillies play NEO at 5 p.m. Saturday and Neosho at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Cardinals return to action at home Sunday against El Centro Community College. Game time is 4 p.m.

The TVCC men are coming off a 21-11 season and have been picked to finish second behind Navarro in the Region XIV Conference North Zone. The Lady Cardinals were 28-8 last year and have been tabbed as the favorite to win a ninth straight conference championship.

General admission tickets for home games are $3 and are available at the door.

Here are the TVCC home games in November:

WOMEN

Friday, Nov. 6 vs. Neosho, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7 vs. NEO, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 18 vs. McLennan, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 24 vs. Lon Morris, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 28 vs. Dallas Diesel, 2 p.m.

Bill Damuth 2001 Coach of the Year at Hill College

Bill Damuth was hired as the Lady Cards’ assistant coach during the summer.

Damuth, who was on the bench with Kurt Budke at TVCC for six seasons and three national championships,

spent the last four seasons at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette as an assistant coach and

recruiting coordinator. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Hill College, where he compiled a 51-12

record.

His first Hill College squad went 29-3, won a conference title and was ranked as high as 13th in the

national rankings. Damuth was named NTJCAC Coach of the Year. At Hill College, Damuth produced

six all-conference players, two all-region players and one All-American.

The Martins Mill native received his bachelor’s of science and history degree from the University of

Texas at Tyler in 1995. He earned his master’s in sports science and management from the United

States Sports Academy in 1998.

Damuth’s responsibilities include coordinating recruiting efforts, coaching the post position and being

involved in the defensive scheme.

Damuth and his wife Michelle have one son, Dylan

Bill Damuth “All those kids are gone.”

October 15, 2009

REGION XIV MEDIA DAY: Time to bounce (w/coaches polls)

Lady Cards picked to win conference; coaches think Cardinals will finish second

By Jayson Larson Sports Editor
In this conference, the one-liners are almost as good as the basketball.

Take, for instance, Trinity Valley Community College Men’s Head Coach Pat Smith. Standing at the podium at the 12th Annual Region XIV Basketball Media Day, Smith said his players had been banged up and complaining of aches and pains throughout preseason workouts — right up until they played at the 2009 JUCO Showcase scrimmage last weekend.

“It was like Oral Roberts walked into our locker room,” Smith said, referring to the notable TV faith healer.

One of the highlights of Media Day is the release of the annual Coaches Poll. Conference coaches picked Smith’s Cardinals to finish second in the North Zone, behind reigning conference champion Navarro College. Navarro (26-11) received eight of the first-place votes.

“Some people say they really don’t care where they’re picked or that they don’t care about the polls, but I like it as a sign of respect,” said Smith, whose club was 21-11 a year ago.

Among Smith’s returning players are Adrian Forbes, a 6-8 sophomore who has already committed to Auburn.

In the South Zone, Lon Morris (26-6, 13-3 in conference) received 10 of 13 first-place votes.

TVCC Head Women’s Basketball Coach Bill Damuth’s Lady Cardinals — a perennial national title contender — were picked to win the conference in the women’s poll. Eight of the 10 conference coaches voted TVCC (28-8 in 2008) first. Angelina (24-7) and Blinn (14-17) also received first-place votes.

The Lady Cardinals were voted first despite having exactly zero returning players from last season’s team.

“Our team last year finished seventh in the nation, and that’s great, but it doesn’t help me any,” said Damuth, who was an assistant to Michael Landers last season. “All those kids are gone.”

TVCC men open the season Nov. 2 in Fort Worth against Texas Wesleyan JV. The women open Nov. 4 in Hillsboro against Hill College.



MEN

North Zone

1. Navarro (8) 82

2. TVCC (3) 77

3. Tyler (2) 74

4. Kilgore 46

5. Paris 44

6. Panola 27

7. Bossier Parish 14



South Zone

1. Lon Morris (10) 87

2. San Jacinto (2) 73

3. Lee (1) 62

4. Angelina 52

5. Jacksonville 36

6. Lamar State-PA 29

7. Blinn 25

Not voting: Bossier Parish



WOMEN

1. TVCC (8) 97

2. Angelina (1) 87

3. Blinn (1) 67

4. Kilgore 63

5. Panola 52

6. Tyler 50

7. Jacksonville 47

8. Lon Morris 44

9. San Jacinto 29

10. Paris 14

Bill Damuth's Lady Cardinals will start season fifth nationally

Lady Cardinals will start season fifth nationally

His first Hill College squad went 29-3, won a conference title and was ranked as high as 13th in the national rankings. Damuth was named NTJCAC Coach of the Year.

Athens Review, Athens, Texas

July 19, 2006

Damuth returns to TVCC

By Benny Rogers


A familiar face will return to the bench of the Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals in the 2006-07 season.

TVCC athletic director/head women’s basketball coach has announced the addition of former Lady Cardinal assistant coach Bill Damuth to his staff. He replaces Kareema Williams, who left after one season to pursuit other employment.

“I'm extremely excited to get someone of Bill's caliber,” Landers said. “He has an excellent knowledge of the game, is a hard worker and an outstanding recruiter.

“He knows the history and tradition of our program and has been a part of its success in the past. He understands what our goal is.”

Damuth, who was on the bench with Kurt Budke at TVCC for six seasons and three national championships, spent the last four seasons at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Hill College, where he compiled a 51-12 record.

His first Hill College squad went 29-3, won a conference title and was ranked as high as 13th in the national rankings. Damuth was named NTJCAC Coach of the Year.

At Hill College, Damuth produced six all-conference players, two all-region players and one All-American.

“I'm glad this opportunity came along,” Damuth said. “I’m glad to be back at the Valley.

“Michael and I had talked about it (returning) in the past, even when I was at Hill, but the timing never seemed right. When the job came open this time, I jumped at it. You don’t get many opportunities to go back to a place you love.

“There aren’t too many places like Trinity Valley. This place is very special to me.”

The Martins Mill native received his bachelor’s of science and history degree from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1995. He earned his master’s in sports science and management from the United States Sports Academy in 1998.

Landers said among Damuth’s responsibilities would be coordinating recruiting, coaching the post position and being involved in the defensive scheme.

“It’s great to get someone I respect, have confidence in and trust as much as I do Bill,” Landers said. “Having someone like him makes my job a lot easier and I won’t hesitate giving him responsibilities.”

“I’m look forward to working with Michael to maintain the program’s reputation of being among the best in the country,” Damuth said.

Damuth is already on campus and helping Landers finish the recruiting process.

Road to title begins

Athens Review, Athens, Texas

November 23, 2009

Road to title begins

Lady Cards open conference vs. LMC tonight

Region XIV Conference play begins for the 10th-ranked Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals at home Tuesday night.

TVCC (6-3) is scheduled to face Lon Morris in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at Cardinal Gym.

The Lady Cardinals went 2-0 last week, posting non-conference wins over McLennan (89-53) and Weatherford (73-60).

Lon Morris is 4-5 on the season after going 2-0 over the weekend in the Baton Rouge Community College Classic.

They started the season 4-0 but dropped three straight games on a road trip to Florida. Those losses included overtime defeats at the hands of No. 1 Gulf Coast and No. 13 Pensacola and a loss to No. 22 Chipola.

First-year coach Bill Damuth’s Lady Cardinals were made the preseason favorite by conference coaches to win the league championship, which would be their ninth straight.

Kilgore and Panola tipped of the conference schedule Saturday with Kilgore hanging on for a 63-52 win.

The Lady Cardinals are also scheduled to be at home Saturday in a non-conference tilt with Dallas Diesel. Game time is 2 p.m.

Next week, the Lady Cardinals travel Wednesday to Paris for a 5:30 p.m. start and are at home on Saturday against Panola at 2 p.m. Both are conference games.

Lady Cards set down Grayson, 77-43

Athens Review, Athens, Texas

January 4, 2010

Lady Cards set down Grayson, 77-43

Jayson Larson/Sports Editor
The Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals returned from a nearly monthlong break with a 77-43 stomping of the Grayson Lady Vikings Saturday in non-conference action at Cardinal Gym.

Marcissa McMillan led three Lady Cards in double figures with 15 points, including four second-half three-pointers. Tawanna Lee had 13 points and Brittney Dukes pitched in 12. The Lady Cards, who won their eighth-straight game, improved to 12-3 on the season.

"We just wanted to shake off the rust, this being our first game back," TVCC Head Coach Bill Damuth said. "It just takes awhile. But I thought we came back in pretty good shape. The kids came back and worked hard and showed really great attitudes, and that makes it so much easier to coach."

TVCC struggled early, scoring just 10 points with seven turnovers over the first eight minutes of the game. That would soon change, as the Lady Cardinals went on a 20-0 run to push the game into a comfortable margin. A pair of Tarjay Ashmeade layups put the Lady Cards up, 38-12, with two minutes left in the first half. Grayson, meanwhile, went seven minutes without a point during the TVCC run.

Grayson fell to 2-11 with the loss. The Lady Vikings were led in scoring by Cortney Henderson, who netted 13 points. Damequia Montgomery had 11.

The Lady Cards return to action Wednesday at Jacksonville to resume Region XIV Conference play. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.

Lady Cards picked right time to get tough

Lady Cards picked right time to get tough

No. 6 Lady Cards top Jacksonville, 95-80

Athens Review, Athens, Texas

January 6, 2010

No. 6 Lady Cards top Jacksonville, 95-80

JACKSONVILLE — The Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals, fresh off moving up to No. 6 in the national women’s basketball rankings, handed Jacksonville College a 95-80 loss Wednesday night in Region XIV Conference action.

With the win, Head Coach Bill Damuth’s Lady Cardinals upped their record to 13-3 overall and 4-0 in conference. They put their undefeated conference mark on the line Saturday when they host Kilgore at 5:30 p.m. at Cardinal Gym.

Marcisa McMillan led the Lady Cards with 24 points. She was joined in double figures by Lesha Dunn, who had 17, Brittney Dukes and Tawanna Lee, who had 14 each, and Michelle White, who netted 12.

NOTES: The Lady Cardinals scored more than 90 points for the sixth time this season. They hadn’t scored that many points since a 102-47 win over Dallas Diesel on Nov. 28. ... Leading scorer Gloria Brown has left the team, Damuth confirmed Wednesday. Brown was a National JUCO Player of the Week in December.

— from staff reports

Damuth takes the torch

Damuth takes the torch

The Good Old Days

R E S O L U T I O N
1-1           WHEREAS, The Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals
1-2     resoundingly defeated Central Arizona College's Vaqueras 77-53 to
1-3     claim the NJCAA basketball championship, and this outstanding team
1-4     accomplishment is indeed worthy of special recognition; and
1-5           WHEREAS, Head Coach Kurt Budke and his assistants Bill Damuth
1-6     and Miranda Serna ably prepared the Lady Cardinals for their final
1-7     battle with the Vaqueras, a rematch of the 1998 title game; midway
1-8     through the first half, the Lady Cardinals took a lead they would
1-9     not relinquish, and their stifling brand of defense wore down the
1-10     Vaqueras in the second half as they coasted to the resounding
1-11     victory, avenging last year's loss and capping off a perfect 36-0
1-12     season with their fourth NJCAA crown in the last six years; and
1-13           WHEREAS, The Lady Cardinals were led by 1999 NJCAA Women's
1-14     Basketball Player of the Year Yalika "Boo" Barnes, who scored 13
1-15     points and was named tournament MVP; other standout performers were
1-16     Shinika Parks, who had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Sparkle
1-17     Smith, an all-tournament selection, who had 10 points and 10
1-18     rebounds; and
1-19           WHEREAS, This monumental victory would not have been possible
1-20     without the contributions of all the talented team members,
1-21     including Annette Warren, Kenya Larkin, Melea Clark, Teresa
1-22     Mitchell, Catherine Lida, April Sailors, Rhonda Price, Von Kirk,
1-23     and Kenya Bibbs; and
1-24           WHEREAS, The title game triumph ran Coach Budke's six-year
2-1     record at Trinity Valley Community College to a phenomenal 202-10;
2-2     the Lady Cardinals are now an astounding 22-2 in national
2-3     tournament games and have notched seven consecutive 30-win seasons;
2-4     and
2-5           WHEREAS, Members of the Trinity Valley Community College Lady
2-6     Cardinals basketball team have distinguished themselves as
2-7     formidable competitors, and as they take pride in their national
2-8     championship, it is indeed appropriate to pay tribute to them for
2-9     their impressive achievement; now, therefore, be it
2-10           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-11     Legislature hereby honor the Trinity Valley Community College Lady
2-12     Cardinals for winning the 1999 NJCAA basketball championship and
2-13     extend to them sincere best wishes for continued success and
2-14     happiness; and, be it further
2-15           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-16     prepared for the Trinity Valley Community College Lady Cardinals as
2-17     an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
                                                                   Alexander
                                             _______________________________
                                                   Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.R. No. 576 was adopted by the House on March
         31, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

Damuth named head women's basketball coach

Bill Damuth has been named head women’s basketball coach at Trinity Valley Community College.

Damuth, in the third year of his second tenure at the college as an assistant coach, was announced as the replacement for Michael Landers in a press conference today at Cardinal Gym.  Landers resigned in late February and Monday will begin his new job as athletic director/head women’s basketball coach at Baton Rouge Community College in Baton Rouge, La.

In nine seasons as an assistant coach for the Lady Cardinal basketball program, Damuth saw the program compile a 270-37 record, win three national championships, seven regional championships and eight conference championships.

“TVCC is tremendously fortunate to have Bill Damuth leading the women’s basketball program into a new era,” TVCC President Dr. Glendon Forgey said in making the announcement. “ He has big shoes to fill, a rich tradition and history, but the committee felt he was the best candidate to continue the success of the program.”

Forgey said Damuth was selected after an extensive nation-wide search.

“The search committee had an extremely difficult task.” Forgey said. “TVCC is the best junior college coaching position in the country.  That is why the college received applications from five coaches who had teams at the national tournament this year.

“When it came down to the final criteria, the committee believed that Bill had the best national contacts to recruit the top talent to play and win championships at TVCC.  Bill has been part of the success at Trinity Valley and knows what it takes to achieve the level of success that is expected.”

Damuth is no stranger to leading a program. At the conclusion of the 1999-2000 season, he left TVCC after six years as Kurt Budke’s assistant coach to become  the head women’s basketball coach at Hill College. He  compiled a 51-12 record there, including a 29-3 mark in his first season.  Hill was ranked as high as 13^th nationally and won a conference championship, earning Damuth Coach of the Year honors.

“I am very excited to get this opportunity and am thankful to Dr. Forgey and the committee for the confidence they have shown in me,” Damuth said. “Trinity Valley is very special to me and I know how important the program is to the college and the community.

“I want this program to remain the premier junior college program in the nation.”

He left Hill to become an assistant coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. He returned TVCC in 2006.

“Bill’s experience and knowledge of the program and its history will be invaluable in maintaining the level of success the program has achieved,” Landers said. “He has been  a very big part of the success we had while I was here and I know Kurt (Budke) feels the same way.”

“After meeting with Bill and talking with people around the country, it is obvious that he has a great knowledge and passion for this sport and a commitment to doing things the right way,” Forgey said. “His outlook on success goes beyond the court and carries into the classroom and community. He has valuable connections nationally and internationally and his past experience will help to continue this program at the championship level. 

“Athletics at TVCC focuses on student success both on and off the field, and I am confident that our national search has identified a new head coach for our women basketball players who will guide them to both athletic and academic excellence.”“

Damuth is a native of Martins Mill. He received his bachelor’s of science and  history degree from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1995. He earned his master’s degree in sports science and management from the United States Sports Academy in 1998.

He and wife Michelle have a son and daughter – Dylan and Madison.

UTEP women's basketball freshmen learn to adjust - Topix

UTEP women's basketball freshmen learn to adjust - Topix