by: NICK ALVARADO/Editorial Assistant
This season, the South Plains College women’s basketball team will have two new assistant coaches alongside new head coach Cayla Petree.
New assistant coach Kyle Herring looks to take on this new challenge as he helps bring the Lady Texans back to the national spotlight. “I’ve had 19 years of coaching in my career,” Herring said.
He comes to SPC from Chipola College, located in Marianna, Fla., where he helped Chipola to a National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association championship. Herring began his coaching career at his alma mater, Southeastern Illinois College, where he earned his associate’s degree in Liberal Studies. He later earned a bachelor’s degree at Detroit-Mercy University.
“I came here for Coach Petree,” says Herring. “I was the first to congratulate her, and I’ve known her for nine years. She is full of energy and a good person to learn from.”
While Herring was at Chipola, the teams posted an impressive 69-3 record overall. He also spent one year at Clarksville Academy before moving to Chiopla College.
“Our motto for this year is win, graduate, scholarship,” Herring said. “I plan to help each player improve on a daily basis. We are talented and need to learn every drill every day.”
With numerous fresh faces on the Lady Texans, expectations are high and coaches plan to get the team back on the national level once again.
“We believe that this is a chance for South Plains College to become known on a national level again and trying to be in the top 25 once again,” said Herring. “I’m enjoying it. I’m learning the on and off-court routines. The main reason I came here is because of Coach Petree.”
Also new on the Lady Texans coaching staff is Brock Kimball. Kimball comes to SPC from Angelo State University, where he was an assistant on the staff of Chris Beard, who was named Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Angelo State finished with a record of 28-6, the best season in school history. Kimball played basketball at McMurry University in Abilene, and received his bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.
“This is my third year coaching,” Kimball said. “I started my coaching career at Angelo State.”
With the rich basketball history at SPC, Kimball noted that the “history of the school and Coach Petree” was the main reasons why he would come to SPC.
“I love it here,” Kimball says of his early impressions.
“The teachers, community and players are great people. My expectations are to win as many games as possible, and help players improve in every aspect of the game. We have a chance to win a national championship.”
The Lady Texans open the 2015-2016 season on Oct. 30, hosting the two-day SPC Classic.
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