High School Sports
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A Big Name: Jones to coach Carver's girls
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Published: June 23, 2009
When Carver High School's girls basketball players hear their coach raising her voice during practice next season, it won't be just anybody dressing them down.
"When your jersey is hanging on the wall, kids listen," said Gerald Carter, a former Carver coach.
Porsche Jones, who starred at point guard and played a key role in resurrecting the Yellowjackets' program almost 10 years ago, was named the head coach yesterday, said interim principal Judy Nelson.
Jones will replace Alfred Poe, a longtime boys and girls coach at Carver whose retirement will become official next week. Poe was the head coach of the girls team the past two seasons, and Jones was his assistant.
Although Jones' only experience as a high-school head coach came two seasons ago with Carver's junior varsity, her accomplishments as a player give her respect in any gym.
She helped Carver to a runner-up finish in the 3-A playoffs in 2000 and to the 3-A state title in 2001. She also was the Journal's Mary Garber Award winner in 2001 as the top girls player in Northwest North Carolina.
Jones played at Wake Forest, but she had three surgeries in four seasons. She graduated in 2006 with two years of eligibility remaining.
Her high-school number -- 11 -- has been retired at Carver, and her jersey is framed in the gym.
"I think basketball being my background, it's all I have really known," Jones said.
"And being under good coaches, I have learned a lot about giving back to the kids and making personal sacrifices to get the job done.
"That's what I have seen through Coach Poe and Coach Carter throughout the years."
Jones, who is working toward a master's degree in education at Winston-Salem State, said she was unsure of her teaching duties for the fall semester.
She spent the past school year at Carver working as a long-term substitute in physical education and health.
Carter, who retired from coaching and teaching two years ago, couldn't hide his excitement.
He spent last season as a part-time assistant to Poe, and again worked with Jones.
"I am absolutely thrilled," Carter said. "She is part of carrying on the Carver tradition, and there could not have been a better choice. She is ready. Last year, Porsche asked me more relevant, good questions in those four months than I got from her in three years (as a player).
"She asked insightful things; why do you do this, shouldn't you do this? And she came up with a lot of great ideas. We would sit in practice and talk about where we were having trouble. She did a lot of really good thinking and problem solving, and the things she doesn't know, she will learn as a head coach. You can't learn some of them as an assistant."
Jones, who had knee and Achilles tendon surgery in college, said she is still able to get on the court and play with her players. She also said she hopes for big things from the team.
"We have only had two seniors graduate since I have been assistant, so a lot of them I have already worked with," she said. "I have great expectations for them. Hopefully, with what we have learned the past two years, we can grow on it and try to win a state championship."
■ Mason Linker can be reached at 727-7324 or at mlinker@wsjournal.com.
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