The boys’ basketball team has a new coach.
Matthew Hardaway was introduced as the basketball coach, succeeding Russell Malone, who resigned in March. Coach Hardaway currently serves as a student success coach in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.
Coach Hardaway is not an unfamiliar face to Principal Will Ferrell. He has served as an assistant basketball coach for Montgomery Central’s boys’ team for the past four years. Dr. Ferrell previously served as assistant principal and athletic director for the Indians.
Coach Hardaway has an extensive playing and coaching background. He played high school basketball at Madison Academic High School in Jackson, Tennessee. He played college basketball at HBCUs Voorhees University (Denmark, S.C.) and Fisk University (Nashville) before an ACL injury ended his playing career.
He finished his undergraduate education at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he interned with the men’s basketball program. He learned under head coach Will Wade, who went on to be the head coach at Louisiana State University and now McNeese State.
In addition to coaching at Montgomery Central, Coach Hardaway established an AAU program, the Clarksville Magic.
The school’s reputation drew him to apply for the head job. He credits “how many good kids are at this school academically and athletically” as a factor for applying. He also credits Mr. Digby, the school’s athletic director, and Mr. Smitherman, the assistant athletic director, for their support of the school’s athletic programs.
Coach Hardaway has a positive philosophy for coaching: “You can’t fail until you quit,” he said. “Never give up and always give whatever you do your all.”
He plans to bring excitement and energy to West Creek. “I can’t wait to meet the West Creek Community,” he said.
