Mendenhall steps down as Newberry High School girls’ head coach

NEWBERRY — For the first time in almost twenty years there will be a new head coach walking the sidelines at Newberry High School for the varsity girls’ basketball team. Melissa Mendenhall is resigning as head coach for the Lady Bulldogs.

Mendenhall took over as head coach in 2008 but has been at Newberry High School since the mid 90s. She have put together an impressive resume’.

The head ball coach have an overall record of 195-162, four region championships, four Upper State Finals’ appearances, two appearances in the state championship, region Coach of the Year, named state Coach of the Year and of course, the 2018 Class 3A State Championship. In addition to all of her achievements as a coach on the court, Mendenhall have helped over 20 young ladies earn college scholarships and at least ten of those girls played at least one full year at the next level.

The one unique thing about all of her achievements is that she never envisioned herself being a coach.

“When I first went to college, I never thought I would coach. I knew I could think the game through and was always a step ahead. I knew a lot about the game but my major was actually business. I got into education when I moved to Newberry,” said Mendenhall.

She continued, “I started off as a instructional assistant at Reuben Elementary and then I moved to case manager with the school district. While at Reuben, the principal there at the time David Jenkins told me there was an opening as the junior varsity coach. So, I came to speak to Coach Ware, who was the athletic director at the time, and he gave me an opportunity and I’ve been here every since.”

Coach fell in love with the game of basketball all over again, just like when she first picked up a basketball as a player.

“I never really thought I would be coaching but I loved it once I got into it. Having the relationship with the girls is everything to me. Me and Coach Jeter[assistant coach] have always said that our desires was more than wins-losses and seeing our kids going to play at the next level,” stated Mendenhall. “We wanted them to just productive citizens. We teach them things they should do, shouldn’t do, what they should and shouldn’t say. Just trying to help our kids build themselves up for after high school.”

Mendenhall started her coaching journey in 1994 as the junior varsity head coach then served as the assistant coach for the varsity team and then head coach. She has endured her ups and downs as a coach throughout the years, but it all paid off in the 2017-18 season when she was able to deliver a state title. It made it extra special because her starting point guard at the time was involved in a car wreck in the days leading up to the state championship game.

“It was hard for us, myself and Coach Jeter. We were standing outside of the gym door crying after just visiting her in the hospital. We didn’t know how we were going to come in here for practice and put the team together to have them ready to play in a state championship game without our starting point guard,” Mendenhall explained. “We walked in the gym that day and the girls had started practicing. It was such a relief off of our shoulders as coaches. The rest was history. We came up with a plan, the girls executed and we won.”

She also talked about how special it was to coach her daughter during the season she won her first region championship. Though she is won’t be walking the halls and sidelines at Newberry, Mendenhall ensured her players that she will still be making sure they are doing the right things.

“I told them on last Thursday that I won’t be coaching and it was tough, but I also let them that I will still be in the stands, coming to the school and if they aren’t doing right then I’ll be coming to their classroom,” said Mendenhall. “We have built that bond and at the end of the day I am still here for you. I was always like that too even if a girl quit the team then I would still be there for me. I also have built this relationship with the players and the parents.”

Mendenhall will truly be missed. The coaching search is underway, but the position haven’t been filled yet.