CHATHAM — A.W. Hamilton has been around the Hargrave Military Academy post-graduate basketball program for six years and has had tremendous success during that time.
So it’s no secret as to why he was named the program’s new head coach on Thursday, replacing Kevin Keatts, who has accepted a job as an assistant coach on the staff at the University of Louisville.
“When they offered it to me, I was just so excited and just honored to even be offered,” Hamilton said. “I’ve been here for the past five years as an assistant and I have so much respect for what the school does for young people and wow, I was just so excited.”
As a cadet at Hargrave in 2000, Hamilton played under Keatts and moved on to play for Wake Forest University before finally landing at Marshall University, where he was a two-year captain and currently ranks eighth in school history in assists.
Hamilton returned to Hargrave five seasons ago to begin his coaching tenure under Keatts, who Hamilton says has been a big role model in life.
“I really wasn’t looking to take over the program at all,” Hamilton said. “Coach Keatts has been a big- time role model in my life. You always think you’re going to look and land that college coaching job, but I just couldn’t ever leave. I just kept coming back and I was offered a great job.”
As for Keatts, he joins a premier basketball program at Louisville under legendary coach Rick Pitino and leaves behind a program that is in tremendous shape.
In his two separate stints as head coach at Hargrave that spanned 14 years, Keatts compiled a 262-17 record that included winning national prep titles in 2004 and 2008.
Keatts was able to move 103 Hargrave athletes on to Division I programs and has coached five players that are currently in the the National Basketball Association.
“Hargrave has always been a wonderful place for me and my family,” Keatts said. “I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to play for a legendary coach and tremendous mentor in a guy like Coach Pitino. The board of directors at Hargrave and the Chatham and Danville communities have been nothing but supportive of our program at Hargrave.
“When they asked me who I recommended for the job, I gave them three names: A.W. Hamilton, A.W. Hamilton and A.W. Hamilton. He’s been here for five years and he’s been like a son to me. He’s done an outstanding job and he will continue to build upon the success that we’ve had here at Hargrave.”
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement