Basketball coach resigns days before first practice

The Guthrie Lady Jays basketball team learned on Tuesday they will not have their head coach going into the upcoming season. The announcement comes just days before their first official practice.

Guthrie Sports Page learned Jack Hankins informed school administration of his decision on Monday to leave the school district. He told his players about the decision on Tuesday.

“Bad news,” were the first words from Hankins as he began to tell the team wearing his blue Guthrie pullover in the locker room. “This was something that was not planned. I resigned on Monday,” Hankins said.

High school teams can begin having organized basketball practices on Oct. 1.

“Obviously, we are disappointed in the timing of this announcement,” Superintendent Dr. Mike Simpson said. “Our biggest concern is for our student‐athletes.”

Hankins told the players he is leaving education and coaching to pursue other opportunities in private business.

“Unfortunately, this is a symptom of a greater problem as yet another educator is leaving the profession for better pay and opportunity,” Simpson said.

Hankins, who also serves as a Physical Education teacher at Guthrie High School, came to Guthrie in 2014 and coached the Lady Jays for two seasons in his first role as a head coach. He finished with an overall record of 27-22, including a 13-11 record a season ago.

Before arriving to Guthrie, Hankins served a three-year stint as an assistant boys’ basketball coach at Piedmont High School. Prior to his time at Piedmont, Hankins was an assistant boys and girls basketball assistant at Talihina High School in addition to other coaching assignments.

Hankins notified school officials his final day will be Oct. 7.

Assistant Coach Sherrie Simek will take over the program on an interim basis for the upcoming season. Simek is in her sixth year as a math teacher at Guthrie High School. During that time, she has served as an assistant girls basketball coach for for both Pete Papahronis and Hankins.

“The recommendation (Simek) comes after collaboration with Athletic Director Jon Chappell, High School Principal Chris LeGrande, Executive Director of Personnel and Secondary Education Doug Ogle and myself,” Simpson said.

“I have a great degree of confidence in Coach Simek to continue the progress that was started under Coach Hankins,” Simpson stated.

All recommendations are subject to approval of the Board of Education at the next regular
meeting scheduled for October 10, 2016.

Simek served as the lone assistant for the program, which has sent school officials scrambling to find an assistant coach. School officials continue to search and are hopeful to name an assistant soon.