All-Area Basketball: C.B. Aycock's Harrell named girls' coach-of-the-year

By Cam Ellis
Published in Sports on April 9, 2015 1:48 PM

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"In any sport, as far as I'm concerned ... when you're playing in that 3-A/4-A conference, it makes things tough."

The Golden Falcons finished 18-8 and advanced to the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A playoffs. A corps of experienced players certainly helped, but Harrell's leadership guided the program to its best season in more than a decade.

"Well he did a pretty good job for his first year of high school coaching," said senior forward Myleah Jones. "He let us have a lot of fun, but when it was time to get down to business, he was serious. Our practices were intense and he did a lot to help us prepare."

Harrell's intensity came 23 years of service in the U.S. Army Reserve. He jumped out of planes, drove tanks, worked with mortars and served as a basic training company commander.

"I've always been a tough disciplinarian," Harrell said. "I want to be tough on them, but I also want to be fair and consistent."

One example -- a common conditioning drill that Aycock ran is what Jones called "6 in 30." The basic premise is that all the players were required to run sideline to sideline six times in 30 seconds.

When Harrell took over the reins, he tweaked the rules.

Instead of six, it was seven.

Harrell's best attribute is that he knew when to push his players and when to ease off. When he's not in "drill-sergeant" mode, comes off as compassionate and friendly. He's to stop in the hall and chat with anyone.

"If I had to use one word to describe him, it would be lovable," Jones said. "Any time I see him, we'll stop and talk. He really did believe in me."

Any coach admits the chemistry that the team displays in the locker room is just as important as the chemistry displayed on the court. Harrell knows true camaraderie when he's around it.

"We had a great group of girls," Harrell said. "I could not have walked into a better situation than having awesome girls to coach, who had the right attitude. When you go through (their previous season) and stick together, that builds a pretty tough bond."

Harrell and company have an entirely new challenge ahead. Six seniors graduate, including two starters. Unsure of what the immediate future holds, he knows that sometimes results don't make or break a season.

"These girls aren't going to remember the wins and losses near as much as they'll remember the experience," Harrell said. "There's no question that the experience they get is way more important."