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"It's been a fun ride, but it's the girls who make it work. They are not my wins -- they are never my wins. The program is about the kids. As coaches, we are there to guide them and give them a good experience."
That was Williamstown Girls Basketball Coach Fred Sauro, back in January -- and just ahead of his becoming the winningest girls high school basketball coach in West Virginia history. One suspects that despite Sauro's humility, it was the girls AND his ability to guide them that made it all work.
Since 1985, Williamstown fans have been able to watch that magic combination. Wednesday evening, before Williamstown faced off against Wahama, they got to watch Sauro receive a fraction of the recognition he deserves. He was presented by Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis and Wood County Board of Education members Ron Tice and Judy Johnson with a certificate marking his achievement.
And, by the way, Sauro is not just an exceptional basketball coach, he's also an excellent history and social studies teacher.
It took 543 wins to pass the record set by former John Marshall coach Stanley Blankenship. But Sauro isn't stopping there. And along the way he says there are plenty of people who get credit for keeping him going. It's not just the young women playing on his teams. He said his wife Connie is "awesome," and there can be no doubt her support has made the difference. There are also other coaches, such as Danny Bunch and Larissa Cothern, who are not just supporting Sauro's work with the team, but learning the craft in a way that will leave the program "in great shape," should Sauro give up his head coaching post "one of these days."
In any team sport, it takes lot of people to achieve success. But those people need a leader and for Williamstown, Sauro has proved to be more than fans could ever have hoped. To become the winningest coach in history in a state with a coaching heritage such as West Virginia's is more than impressive.
Williamstown (and the whole Mid-Ohio Valley) for that matter is grateful we've been along for that ride.