Collins back in the coaching ranks
Coach looks to get MV on right track
By George Starks

GREENVILLE- When the Tri-Village girls basketball program was really making a name for itself, the coach that had the right ideas was Roger Collins.

With names like Ballard and Neenon on his roster, Collins coached into the early 90’s in Patriot land.

When the coach decided to step down, it was thought he would never coach again.

Now, Collins will become the newest coach at Mississinawa Valley.

It was one year ago that Collins took on the junior varsity job at Mississinawa Valley, agreeing to help out Bo Humphries on the Hawks bench.

Collins was not open to the junior varsity job at first.

“When Bo came to me, asking if I’d take the job, I told him no,” said Collins in an exclusive CNO interview. “I told him that I had been out of coaching too long but he kept pursuing me and talking to me. We went to lunch a couple of times so I finally told him I would come in and help him out in July. I went back for eight days in August but never signed a contract until October I think.”

Humphries stepped down at the end of the 2014 season, once again leaving a vacancy at the Union City school.

After posting a 16-4 record at the J-V level, it was Mississinawa Valley athletic director, Bruce Davidson that went to Collins in an effort to sell Collins on the open varsity position.

Collins took the job but once again, he was reluctant to do so.

“As soon as Bo stepped down, Bruce Davidson asked me if I was interested in the job,” Collins stated. “I never told him no but I did tell him I would let him know.”

Collins, a long time educator, coach and athletic director, saw the one thing that helped make his decision.

“It was the young kids that I coached last year,” Collins admitted. “The young kids got to me. I coached them on the junior varsity team. When they came to me, they didn’t have very many skills at all. The more I worked with them, the better they got. The kids respected me and I had a lot of respect for them.”

The kids got to him at the athletic banquet.

“The kids just stared at me and had some tears in their eyes. They thought I wasn’t coming back,” said Collins. “When I sat back down at the table after the awards were handed out, I thought to myself that these kids need leadership of some kind weather it’s me or someone else. They need someone with a little experience to lead them and let them play the game. I worked with the varsity girls every day and there are five sophomores and a junior that’s coming back.  The kids just got to me.”

After being out of coaching for the past 15 years, Collins is ready to take the bull by the horns and get the program headed in the right direction.

“I’m in this for the long haul,” said Collins. “I’m not wanting this for only one year unless they don’t want me back. If they don’t want me back, I won’t go back. There have been too many coaching changes over the years and you know how that goes. A school that changes its coach every year will struggle to get winning programs.”

After tossing the idea around with his wife, Janice, Collins said he got her blessing and backing.

“I wouldn’t do this if she wasn’t behind me on this,” Collins said of his wife. “She has been involved in my coaching all of my life. I don’t think she’s missed five games I’ve coached in Ohio over the years.”

Collins took a look down the road when it comes to Lady Blackhawk hoops.

“In three years I can see things looking good,” said Collins. “We have a great group of eighth graders coming in next year and I see positive things happening at Mississinawa Valley.”