GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: Americus-Sumter girls coach Sherri Harris tough but fair

In her first year as head coach, Sherri Harris led Americus-Sumter to the quarterfinals of the GHSA Class AAAA state tournament.

Her achievements landed her the Albany Herald girls basketball coach of the year.

Harris succeeded Evelyn Wright, who retired after last season. Wright was Harris’ high school coach when Harris played at Americus High School.

“She was only on my staff for one year and I truly enjoyed having her because she was also a player of mine,” Wright said. “She knew the importance of discipline and doing things that we wanted to be done. I knew she was an excellent coach before she came back to Americus-Sumter. To have one of your own come back to Americus-Sumter and do what she has done this year that no other coach has done is truly a blessing.”

Before coming to Americus-Sumter as an assistant, Harris was the head coach at Coffee and Turner County. A year ago, the Lady Panthers finished the 2013-14 season near .500.

“Last year, we had a lot of young girls, sophomores and juniors, a lot of kids that hadn’t experienced quality playing time the year before because of the talent in front of them,” Harris said. “The talent was so heavy. Two years ago, there were eight or nine seniors.”

Harris believes that while inexperience contributed to last year’s mediocre record, the experience those players gained translated to this season’s success. Harris also believes that last summer was a very productive one for the team and played a huge part in the team’s success.

“We played about 30 to 40 basketball games last summer in camp,” Harris said. “I thought, OK, we might not be very good at first but by the end of the season, we’ll be coming on and upsetting people. We ended up having a great year, a great season, going 29-2.”

Harris praised the leadership of her star player, A’Tyanna Gaulden whom she said helped make everybody on the team better.

Harris attributes her team’s success this past season to a variety of factors.

“Overall, I think we were probably a lot better defensively than a lot of people,” Harris said. “That kind of made us a better team because we were able to stop and attack people and be aggressive.”

Harris was quick to point out that Gaulden was not the only player that made the Panthers go.

“Timia Swanson has been first team All-Region the past two years,” Harris said. “She’s a sophomore. She’s been averaging double-doubles the last two years.”

Swanson added that Harris is like her mother.

“She motivates, yells and pushes me harder,” Swanson said.

Gaulden has known Harris for a long time.

“Well, me and Coach Harris go way back to the end of my eighth grade year,” Gaulden said. “I played for her my ninth-grade year at Coffee County. She has been a tremendous coach everywhere she has coached. She’s like my second mom.

“I look at her like she had me herself. She’s been a great coach to me and the Lady Panthers. Hard at times, but we all knew she means well, and we love her and thank her every day for that. We wouldn’t have made it to the elite 8 without her. I wouldn’t want anybody coach me or at my high school but her.”

Harris’ work-ethic have not only been seen by her players but also her assistant coaches. Eric Brown said he learned a lot from her this season.

With only one senior graduating, Harris will have nearly everyone coming back. The Lady Panthers will have seven seniors including Gaulden.

Harris will have a more experienced, mature and tested team, which they hope will lead them back to a Region 1-AAAA title and another deep postseason run.

“I have a great group of girls and they’re already wanting to get back in the gym,” Harris said. “This past season, going 29-2 has made them kind of hungry. They’re already aggravating me, ‘When can we get back in the gym?’ I told them they can come back in after spring break and work out, but nothing right now.”

Harris believes that the success of the Lady Panthers has united the community.

“When we left camp at Florida State last summer, we decided that one of our biggest goals this season was to try to bring our community together,” Harris said. “One of the things that brought us together was that two members of my coaching staff, Xavier Bridges and Teira Wallace, attended Sumter County, and Eric Brown and I attended Americus High School.

“At one time, the schools were segregated. This season kind of brought our community together. There were people from the old Sumter County High School who attended our games. Every time we won a ball game, more and more people started coming to our games. It’s brought the community a lot closer. It’s about Americus-Sumter High School, not Americus High School or Sumter County High School.”

Once her career in coaching is done, Harris doesn’t necessarily want to be remembered just for wins and losses.

“I want to be remembered probably as a disciplinarian, that I was hard and firm but fair,” Harris said. “You want to build a program where the kids get something out of it and not just basketball. I try to build character. It’s not all ways about wins and losses.”