1972-1977

~an Chancell~o;-r ---~-----------

Ex-Tiger cage coa(:h is now best in state By JIM WILDER Staff Writer

team went all the way, winning the overall Class AA State Championship, prompting the Mississippi Coaching Association and his coaching peers to name him the top high school basketball coach in the land. The girls team consisted of the same girls that went to National Junior Olympies in the spring of 1973 and won the national crown. This year they had a 41-3 record. "You've heard when your hot, your hot," Chancellor admitted. Tuesday he went to the Mississippi Association of Educators spring clinic and won a shot gun. "I've only shot a gun one time in my whole life," said Chancellor. Chancellor has been hot for a long time. Since 1968 he has carried a girl and boy to the Mississippi All Star Game. Chancellor has coached a lot of outstanding athletes during his career. One in particular is Romina Von Boeckman of Delta State who set a record with 18 a'ssists against the University of Alabama in the regionals - fl'cently. "More players make good coaches out of men than coaches make good players out of girls and boys," quoted the young coach. Chancellor has no secret formula for success; but he knows the right one. "It takes hard work, dedication, school support, a good junior high program, school board accept– ance, and most importantly, the athletes," he summarized. Chancellor said, "the people of Rocky Hill Community' and the community church had a tremendous influence on my life." "I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren"t for my parents," he commented. He is the sr;n of Mr. and Mrs. Winston Chancellor of here and is married to the former Betty Cannon of here. They reside with their two children, John, 11, and Renea, 7, -in Gulfport.

The Mississippi Coaches Association call him the best high school basketball coach in the state. Noxapater remembers him as a · young coach breaking into a man's world. Van Chancellor was raised in the Rocky Hill Community and graduated from Louisville High School. He received an Associate of Arts Degree from East Central Junior College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in math from Mississippi State University. In 1973, he received a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Mississippi. Chancellor's first two years as a basketball coach at Noxapater were less than spectac– ular. The first year"s record was 8-12 and the second 13-14. Now his teams have won 548 games and lost 160 for a .745 winning percentage. After leaving Noxapater, Chancellor coached at Horn Lake where he· started a winning tradition that has been his since. During his stay at Horn Lake, Chancellor's t earns won nine Chickasaw Conference championships, 11 district crowns, and went to the state playoffs eigh_t times. In 1972 Chancellor was selected as the 'Outstanding Young Educator' by the Southa– ven Jaycees and coached in the Mississippi ~II-Star game. That year ChanceHor moved to Gulf Port and took over as head coach of the girl's and boy's basketball teams at Harrison Central. During the four years he has spent 'there, his boys have won three out of four conference ehampionships and went to the South State Tournament in 1976. The girls won three of four conference championsh1ps and · for four years in a row won the district cr"wn. 'l"h;., .---·· his girls

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