Walker family’s coaching reach extends to Arkansas

By Mike Kays
Phoenix Sports Editor

June 18, 2008 12:21 am

— One area basketball coaching clan will spawn another generation this fall.
Fort Gibson coach Jerry Walker’s sons, David and Jeff, will be at courtside together at Harding University. The elder Walker, whose last three teams have made the Class 4A girls championship game, succeeded his dad as a FGHS coach.
David, who walked on to play football at Oklahoma and graduated at Harding in May, will be the women’s team’s second assistant. Jeff, who will finish his football career there this fall, will be a student assistant.
Both have a desire to coach — at the college level. David Walker was a finalist for an assistant job at Lipscomb in Tennessee.
“It’s harder for a guy to break in to the women’s game, but watching my dad, I’ve come to enjoy it because of how hard girls work,” David said. “I’m not saying I wouldn’t ever consider coaching men, but it’s what I’ve grown up with and I have appreciated seeing what my dad has gone through to be successful.”
Said Jeff Walker, who was academic all-Gulf South Conference at Harding this past season, on the possibility of a third-generation Walker at FGHS one day: “I wouldn’t rule out dropping down from college age to high school, but with what he’s done there and what he’ll build before he gets through, they’d get someone more experienced than us two.”
Imagine Jerry Walker making such a choice, though.
Footnote: The clan will head to Atlanta this weekend. David is marrying Harding student Laura Merritt, a Duluth, Ga., native.

Did you know...
Owasso’s Brandon Webb, who recently committed to play football at Oklahoma State, is the son of former Muskogee High and Manual Training great Terry Webb, who played his college ball for Barry Switzer and the Sooners? You’ll catch up with the elder Webb in Sunday’s Memory Lane edition of the Phoenix.

Coming events...
Muskogee coach Matt Hennesy reconvenes the Rougher footballers for the Green Country Football Camp June 27-28. That follows by one day the start of the Heartland Baseball Tournament, organized by Connors coach Perry Keith and in its eighth year. The 18-team field will play at Okay and Hilldale high schools and Connors State and Bacone College. One of the teams will be the Canada Blue Jays, the Toronto-area team that comes through town once a summer to play area teams.

Tiger tales
Yes, while Tiger Woods’ title run to Monday’s U.S. Open championship — and particularly his ownership of the 18th hole at Torrey Pines all week — was nothing short of amazing, his all-time major-tying 63 in the blazing heat of last year’s PGA in Tulsa still exceeds it as one of the truly remarkable golf events ever. Being there in person, just a few feet from Woods on each swing of the club, might have tainted my judgment, but I’ll call it my all-time favorite sports moment in this profession.

Hats off...
Late kudos to Muskogee High School slowpitch softball coach Keith Coleman, who was selected District 4 (Large Schools) Coach of Year this year ... Also, Archie Bradley, the All-Phoenix Newcomer of the Year in baseball, made it past the first round of tryouts for the Chicago White Sox Area Code baseball team. Bradley, a freshman pitcher, is the second Muskogee Rougher to do this, graduating senior Antonio Horn being the other. Area Code Baseball, with teams sent by seven major league franchises, is in its 22nd season and is one of the highest regarded high school talent showcase in the country. Bradley is one of 75 representing a six-state area in the Midwest, the area assigned to the White Sox.
Oh, and in case you’re one of the few area people who haven’t heard about it, our own Kenton Brooks is officially an honest man, 12 days into his honeymoon with Phoenix news reporter Cathy Spaulding. He’ll be back at work next week.

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