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Jones Reaches A New Level

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By EDDIE DANIELS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 23, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL - Warren Jones played basketball in high school, then went on to junior college and furthered his career a couple of seasons, but after his father's death in 2003, the flame went dim.

"My father died and I came back home to take care of my mother," Jones said of retuning to his hometown of Panama City that year. "After my father died, I didn't really have much passion to play any more, so I kind of left it alone."

Then came October 28, 2004.

Jones was hired as Wesley Chapel High's girls basketball coach days before the season's first practice. The previous season, he served as the junior varsity coach at his alma mater, Rutherford High.

In five seasons, he led the Wildcats to an 85-24 mark, leading the team to playoff runs and coaching the county's all-time leading scorer, Sthefany Thomas.

Little did he know the team would rekindle his fire for competition and the sport.

So much so that Jones stepped down at the end of the 2007-08 season.

He is back in college, this time as an assistant coach for the Saint Leo women's team.

"I never thought about it until recently, when I realized I wanted to make coaching my career," Jones said. "To get the opportunity to go to the next level and try to further my career. It's a good feeling knowing there's room for advancement, so hopefully I can keep going.

"I want to be a collegiate coach, not really particular with what level. I want to see how far it can take me. And I do want to be a head coach ultimately. I'm just trying to follow the path and pay my dues."

His passion was obvious when Chanita Olds took over as the Saint Leo women's coach in 2005 and made her rounds through Pasco County, introducing herself to coaches.

"The thing with Coach Jones is he has a great relationship with his girls. I noticed that," Olds said. "A couple of the girls came to our open tryouts and they spoke very highly of him and they really appreciated the things he's done for the Wesley Chapel program. And when I got better recommendations from his athletic director and principal, they talked about how the program was basically not one of the best programs in Pasco County and he took that program and built it.

"It shows his level of commitment, and it shows his ability as a coach ... he developed those young girls into players who believed in each other and believed in him. He was able to establish his system and get people to work, even if they weren't as talented as Sthefany Thomas, they believed they were. That was due mainly to his part."

Before Jones took over the Wesley Chapel program, the group hadn't achieved a season above .500.

In its first five seasons, Wesley Chapel had a 21-98 record, going winless in its first two seasons and achieving three wins in season No. 3.

"Being a part of a team again, I think that was the part I missed most," Jones said. "They really picked me up, started listening and we started winning. I enjoyed how they played. It's something when you're coaching them and you're telling them what to do and they do it."

In the middle of turning the tide at Wesley Chapel, Jones' love for coaching went from a part-time gig to something he wanted to envelope himself in.

"I realized maybe this is something I am good at and I can hone all my skills," he said. "If I'm going to be serious about it, I need to go through all the steps to be successful. Once I started getting more serious about it, we started winning more and more and I really started being more interested in it."

Interest has led him to change his stripes - from a Wildcat to a Lion.

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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