color:black'>VirginiaPreps.com is sad to report that Churchland Head Basketball

Coach Arthur Zeno passed away on Saturday morning.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Zeno was on kidney dialysis and died due to

heart failure.

Zeno, who had been fighting a long battle with health problems, led the Truckers

to the Eastern Region Tournament in 2007-08 and an 18-8 overall record, the

school's best season this decade.  It

also marked their first appearance in the region playoffs since 1994.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  He did not coach this past season due to his

health and Patrick Dulin took over, guiding

the Truckers back to the region playoffs and a 13-11 overall record.

color:black'> 

color:black'>"When I first heard the news, I had to sit down for a minute.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  I knew he was sick, but I just couldn't

believe it.  I just talked to him this

week, asked him how he was doing and he said he was doing fine," remarked

class=SpellE>Churchland's Travis

class=SpellE>McClenny, a 2^nd Team All-Eastern District

selection for the Truckers who led the team in three-pointers made each of the

last three seasons and was a senior captain this past year.

In the five seasons prior Zeno's arrival, Churchland went just 40-72 in boys

basketball.  During his only full season

as Head Coach for the Truckers, Zeno was named the VirginiaPreps.com Eastern

Region Coach of the Year. 

class=SpellE>Churchland's turnaround was perhaps most evident on

defense, where Zeno preached tenacious, aggressive play and it showed in the stats at the end of the year as the team went from 36^th in the region in points per game allowed the season before to third overall.

color:black'>"He actually was with us a lot this year.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  He wasn't coaching because he was real sick,

but we went to see him and he was always watching film

in the hospital, giving us feedback on what we could do and that helped," added

McClenny. 

color:black'> 

color:black'>"Coach Zeno taught me a lot of stuff.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Once you get to High School, most people

think they already know how to play basketball. 

But when you've got a good coach like Coach Zeno, he was able to teach

me a lot of basketball terms and basketball knowledge that I now know.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Some people may think he was a mean guy that

fussed all the time, but that's really not him. 

He was a really nice guy and he'd do anything for anybody, even other

guys that didn't go to our school; he helped try to get them to college."

color:black'> 

color:black'>A 1999 graduate of Mississippi State, Zeno coached current and

former NBA players such as Kerry Kittles, Jonathan Bender and Chris

class=SpellE>Duhon.  Prior to

coming to Churchland he served as an administrative assistant of Men's

Basketball for the Virginia Tech Hokies and was an

assistant coach at Norfolk State University under Dwight Freeman. 

color:black'> 

"Art Zeno

is a basketball lifer.  He is in this business

for all the right reasons," said Virginia Tech Head Basketball Coach

style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Seth Greenberg in July of 2003 upon

Zeno's hiring with the Hokies.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  "He has a genuine concern for young

people.  His work ethic is outstanding,

and he has made tremendous sacrifices to pursue a career in athletics."

color:black'> 

color:black'>As a player, Zeno was a four-year varsity player in Louisiana for

the St. Augustine Purple Knights, graduating in 1977.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  For nine years he coached amateur and youth

teams in the New Orleans area, including being the Head Coach of the New

Orleans Stallions AAU squad and an assistant for the New Orleans Jazz Adidas

touring team.

color:black'> 

color:black'>Zeno coached internationally for the Qatar National Team as well.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  He also coached at Phillips Junior High in

New Orleans from 1986-88 and coached as an assistant at New Orleans' John F.

Kennedy High in 1983.  No matter where

Zeno went, his passion for basketball, desire to be successful and unique

personality and character stuck with those that knew him best.

color:black'> 

color:black'>"He cared about his kids and he cared about winning.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  He would work 24 hours a day on a basketball

court if he could," commented Green Run Head Basketball Coach

style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Kenneth Harris, a former JV Coach at

Churchland.  "Even though I wasn't at

Churchland when he got there, he still helped me as far as allowing me to talk

to his kids.  If I ever needed any

advice, I was able to call him and he was able to call me."

 

 

Matthew Hatfield has

covered Eastern Region Basketball & Football since 2004 for

VirginiaPreps.com – the #1 High School Sports Site on the Rivals Network.

style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Check out Hatfield's website –

href="http://www.matthewhatfield.com/">www.matthewhatfield.com – for more

on the pro and college sports scene.  To

contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com.