Menchville Hires Ben Moore
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The itch was still there and the timing was right.
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style=> After stepping down as the Head Basketball
Coach at Warwick High School just three years ago,
normal'>Ben Moore is back coaching in Newport News.
115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Menchville
style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
High School has named Moore its new Head Basketball Coach.
style=> Ironically, he takes over for his best
friend, Dennis Koutoufas,
who stepped down a month ago.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Moore, 57, spent the last three seasons as an assistant
coach at Virginia Wesleyan College, a perennial Division III power.
style=> When he went there, Moore didn't anticipate a
return to High School Basketball. So
what drew him to the Menchville job?
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"The opportunity to coach with my son, follow a good
friend who was really adamant about having the right guy follow behind him, and
probably a little bit of ego with that chance to do some things I may not have
been able to do at a district level," Moore told VirginiaPreps.com.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Dennis had a big impact.
style=> If he didn't think it was the right thing, it
would've played a big factor. I wasn't
going to leave Virginia Wesleyan for anything or any job.
style=> It had to be right."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Much harder than taking the vacant gig with the
Monarchs was leaving the bench of a Marlins program that hasn't had a losing
season or won fewer than 16 games in any of the 14 seasons under
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Dave Macedo.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Working with Dave Macedo and
being at Virginia Wesleyan with those people was one of the most invigorating,
fantastic experiences of my basketball career.
Dave is a great coach and an even better man, so working alongside him
was something I got a lot out of personally," commented Moore.
style=>
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"I had to learn how to become an assistant coach again,
which means you're a support person. I
got a chance to see things from a different perspective."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Moore also noted the presence of Monarchs Athletic
Director Greg Henderson being vital
in his return to the sidelines at the High School level.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Besides getting Koutoufas'
blessing, Moore was given a unique situation and perhaps forms the lone
father-son coaching combo on the varsity and junior varsity level in Hampton
Roads next season. His son,
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Chris Moore, played three years on
varsity for him at Warwick and attended Chowan University.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Chris will get to be the Head J.V. Coach and a varsity
assistant to his dad.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Being able to teach and learn at the same time is
something that I'm actually excited about," the younger Moore said.
style=> "As a Head J.V. Coach, I know I've got a lot
to learn and I'm eager to learn. It'll
be a great experience for me, being with my father, and that'll make it easier
to be humble I believe."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>How are the two different?
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"Chris is more cerebral and we'll have a lot more
interaction than coach/player," the elder Moore stated.
style=> "I gave him that time to be a young kid and a
student. We talked in the car and at
night, but now we're going to have lunches, talk after games, break down film
and scout together. It'll be a lot
different than when it was coach/player."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>While at Warwick, Moore compiled a record of 261-263 in
24 seasons. Fortunately for him, it's
not exactly a re-building effort he takes over either.
style=>
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>In the four seasons under Koutoufas,
Menchville went 65-35, winning the Peninsula District
Tournament or PenSouth Conference Tournament three
times. The Monarchs finished 18-7 overall
last season with three starters from that team - -
normal'>Richard Washington,
normal'>DeQuon Lake and
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Elijah Murphy - - potentially
returning.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"K didn't leave cupboard and left it pretty well
stocked. If I can just not mess it up.
style=> My theory on following K is this: water is
hot at 211 degrees. K was the hot water.
style=> You add one degree to hot water, it goes from
211 to 212 and then you get steam. My
goal is to add that one degree so that we can get steam," Moore said.
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>"My expectations have always been to subscribe to the
highest level. I've always envisioned
myself coaching that way, whether I'm at a Middle School, High School, college
or pro. I've coached the same way at the
PIT and at Wesleyan as I have in AAU and in High School.
style=> Wherever it is, my coaching philosophy is the
same."
"Verdana","sans-serif"'>
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