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Scott Hartbarger resigns as SM basketball coach
Scott Hartbarger, Smoky Mountain’s men’s basketball coach for the past nine seasons, announced his resignation Tuesday morning.
He said he reached the decision Monday after a meeting with Principal Alex Bell and Athletic Director Mutt DeGraffenreid.
“I wasn’t pressured into this,” Hartbarger said. “It was my decision.”
Scott Hartbarger has resigned as Smoky Mountain’s men’s basketball coach after serving in the position for nine seasons. – Photo by Mark Haskett
He plans to remain at the school as a physical education teacher.
Hartbarger’s team won only about a third of their games. His overall mark was 74-146 (.336). His only winning record was 19-8 in 2002-03. In the eight other seasons, the Mustangs won nine games or less.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished,” he said. “I think our teams always competed to the best of their abilities.”
This year’s team was 7-18. Hartbarger admitted that was a disappointment as the Mustangs had moved to 2-A after being in 3-A his previous eight seasons.
The JVs finished first in the Western Athletic Conference giving some hope for the future.
“This group really needs to stick together,” Hartbarger said. “They have an opportunity to be a good basketball team. I wish them nothing but the best.”
Only a couple of weeks ago, Hartbarger told The Herald he was looking forward to next season and expected his entire coaching staff to return.
When asked what had changed he said, “I just feel like it’s time to let somebody else guide the program. Basketball is a year round sport. Although I love it, I’d like to devote some time to my family.”
That includes his wife, Sharon, and 8-year-old son, Benjamin.
He also said he will be devoting more time to his family’s business, The Jarrett House.
Hartbarger is a 1981 graduate of Sylva-Webster High School and a 1989 graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College.
“I have put my heart and soul into this program for the last nine years,” he said. “I will always be grateful for the opportunity to coach at my alma mater.”
(Smoky Mountain was formed from the 1988 consolidation of Sylva-Webster and Cullowhee.)
“Scott is an excellent person who has done a good job in certain ways,” DeGraffenreid said. “He has a passion about the game. Hopefully, this change will be for the betterment of the program.”
DeGraffenreid, who assumed his AD duties about the time basketball season began, said he could not evaluate Hartbarger’s nine years but only this season.
“I saw his program improve from the middle to the end of the season,” he said.
While the move was Hartbarger’s decision, DeGraffenreid feels it was the correct one.
“At this point, I think a change was needed for our program,” he said. “Scott feels like this was best for the program and best for the kids.”
As far as the search for a new coach, DeGraffenreid said one priority will be to hire someone who will also be on staff at the school. That’s a goal for every coach he hires.
He also wants to have a coach in place before school is out for the summer.
That’s in part because plans need to be made for summer camps and workout programs.
“We’ve got to get back to basic fundamentals,” DeGraffenreid said of one thing he will be looking for in a new coach.
Not having a middle school has often been cited for contributing to a lack of success in Smoky Mountain athletics. DeGraffenreid said he wants to try to turn the feeder system of four elementary schools into a positive.
“The new coach is going to have to work with the coaches at the elementary level,” he said.
The AD is confident that he will be able to find a quality coach.
“Smoky Mountain High School still has a reputation as a great place to be,” he said. “The community we have is really good.”
As an example, he cited the support the women’s basketball team had at the Western Regionals in Winston-Salem.
“When I looked around that Saturday morning and saw that crowd in Winston, that was a thing of pride,” he said. “There are a lot of people who want to be at Smoky Mountain High School.”
“I’m very appreciative of the nine years Scott’s been here,” Bell said. “He’s been a positive role model for the young men and carried himself with class. He’s always expected the most from his players on and off the court and in the classroom.”
In announcing his resignation, Hartbarger expressed thanks to former Athletic Director Gene McConnell and former Principal Kenny Nicholson for giving him the chance to coach the Mustangs in 1997. He also thanked Bell, Superintendent Sue Nations, former AD Si Simmons and SM women’s coach Cindi Simmons for their support. In addition, he expressed appreciation to the media, his coaching staff, including Adam Phillips, Daniel Mitchell and Jim Hartbarger, and all of his assistants through the years.
The move continues a trend that has seen the resignations of Si Simmons as AD, football coach Tim Hawkins and volleyball coach Tonya Snider this year.
DeGraffenreid said he hopes to have a volleyball coach hired before the basketball position is filled.
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