A surprising announcement came on the coaching front this past Friday. Richard Pullen decided to step down from his post as Head Boys Basketball Coach at Smithfield High School, a regular contender atop the Bay Rivers District the last few years and at the Class 4 level.
Over the past three seasons, Smithfield went 57-16 overall and was a fixture in the Top Ten rankings.
Pullen coached at Smithfield for 11 years total, the past nine as the varsity Head Boys Basketball Coach of the Packers and two seasons prior to that as the Head Girls Basketball Coach.
"It had been growing for a while," Pullen said of the decision to step aside with the season just a little more than a month away. "It was not easy at all, but that's why it was quick because I didn't want to wrestle with it going into another season. The window of opportunity to get somebody in, guide things and move forward was really running out."
During the 2015-16 campaign, the Packers finished 19-4 overall, including an unblemished 18-0 against Bay Rivers District foes. Their three regular season losses were by five points or less.
Last season, Smithfield had some different results in those tight games, particularly once it got to playoff time. Smitfield won an instant classic on a buzzer-beating heave from beyond half-court from Keon Tucker in the opening round of regionals, stunning Lake Taylor 61-60. It secured their first trip to the State Tournament since 1989.
The Packers saw their wild playoff ride come to an end at 21-6 overall with a 68-55 loss to GW-Danville in the Group 4A State Tournament quarterfinals.
"You pour your life into what you're doing. I tried to give those guys the best of what I had and wanted them to have the best opportunities in life. In the end, it's really about having a successful life in the end. It's not like where we are preparing for the NBA," Pullen noted.
"We're teaching values through athletics. All along the way, I've been fortunate to have a great bunch of guys."
Six seniors graduated from last season's squad, most notably All-State guard Ryan Jones (Richard Bland College) and two-sport standout Chris Pierce, now a freshman wide receiver in the SEC at Vanderbilt.
More than the roster turnover, Pullen felt it was time to focus more of his attention off the court. He has three sons and will use some of the time off to re-charge the batteries for possibly coaching again in the near future.
"Honestly, I don't feel like I'm done coaching. It's just a season and situation where I want to step back and spend a little more time with my family," Pullen added.
Pullen plans to remain teaching in the building at Smithfield for the rest of the 2017-18 school-year.
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a regular contributor to the ACC Sports Journal. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10 AM on ESPN Radio 94.1.
