As HS basketball starts, one former NC coach talks about missing the game she loves
Monday, Cristie Mitchell was in an unfamiliar position: She wasn’t on — or behind — a basketball bench.
From the first time she was a middle school student in Spencer, N.C., Mitchell had not missed an opening day of basketball practice. She went from middle school to North Rowan High, then to St. Andrews College in Laurinburg, S.C., and then she got her first coaching job, at Olympic High School, right out of college.
“I was a 23-year-old varsity basketball coach,” Mitchell said, “with not much clue as to what I was doing.”
She figured it out quickly. MItchell won 281 career games in 24 seasons.
But, last February, she resigned from her coaching job shortly after her South Mecklenburg team upset Myers Park, then the No. 1 team in The Observer’s Sweet 16 poll, to win the SoMECK conference championship. Mitchell’s last team finished 21-4.
High school basketball practice began this week as teams hope to reach private school state championships in February and public school state championships in March.
Mitchell, who teaches health and physical education at South Meck — and her office is in the gym — knew this week would be hard.. Every day, she said, she gets reminded of the sport she loves so much.
“It’s definitely been different,” Mitchell said, “but I’m going to be the best cheerleader for my son (Mason, who plays at Rock Hill’s Northwestern High School), and I plan on staying in the gym as much as possible, being with him and supporting the Lady Sabres as much as I can. I mean, I see it every day. I get to see the girls all the time walk by my office, going to the locker room.”
Mitchell has been at South Mecklenburg for 13 years. She said she has five more before she can retire from North Carolina public schools and doesn’t rule out a return to coaching when she’s done, perhaps even as a boys assistant, probably closer to her S.C. home.
It’s just hard to get away from the game, she said, especially at this time of year when the newness of the season — and hope — permeates everything.
“I mean, it’s definitely about being able to finally put your team on the floor,” she said. “I know for a lot of coaching, working in the summer and preseason is a free for fall. Anybody can come and work out, but there’s something about when you can put on that practice uniform and team shoes and you walk into the locker room. You hear the balls bounce and the shoes squeak. It’s just knowing when you see the leaves turn pretty colors, it’s basketball season, and that’s the way I’m feeling now.”
The Observer’s Starting 5
Ella Hobbs, 1-of-1 Prep: 6-3 junior forward is ranked among the top 40 players nationally playing for LaMelo Ball’s team. Hobbs attends school at Robinson in Concord, where her father, Dennis, is principal.
Kamryn Kitchens, Independence: The 5-foot-9 sophomore (13 ppg, 4 apg) had a breakout freshman season, now becomes the “go-to,” scorer for the Patriots.
Samyha Suffren, Cannon School: The 5-7 all-state guard is a Virginia Tech commit. She averaged 17.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 3.5 spg last season.
Blanca Thomas, Charlotte Catholic: The 6-foot-5 junior center (14.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.8 bpg) can dominate a game on both ends, has multiple power five offers, including Duke, North Carolina, South Carolina, Stanford and Tennessee.
Mia Xerras, Myers Park: The 5-foot-6 senior point guard (11.4 ppg, 3.1 apg) has committed to Connecticut College (Xerras will miss at least a month to start the season following knee surgery).
Key dates
▪ Oct. 31: First official practice
▪ Nov. 11: First game date private schools (Nov. 18 for most public schools)
▪ Feb. 13-17: NCHSAA conference tournaments
▪ Feb. 21: NCHSAA state tournament begins. Finals are March 11
▪ Feb. 25: NCISAA state finals
Links
Why girls high school sports participation -- especially in basketball -- is waning
Charlotte Catholic is No. 1 in preseason Sweet 16; Full poll
This area coach is off the sideline this season - and missing it badly
County Previews
Mecklenburg County public schools
Mecklenburg County private schools
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 7:19 PM.
