Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 6, 1993 TAG: 9308060047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Cormany, who resigned in the spring at Grayson County to follow non-coaching pursuits, was appointed the boys' coach at Radford High School by the Radford School Board on Thursday.
Cormany, who has had loads of success in 10 years of coaching in the Mountain Empire District, faces the task of rebuilding Radford's program, which was one of Timesland's most consistent winners in the 1970s and '80s but has fallen on hard times.
"It's a good feeling to be in Radford," said Cormany, who was an All-Timesland honorable mention player at George Wythe in 1976. "I've always considered Radford as having one of the top [basketball] traditions."
Can Cormany restore that winning tradition? With slightly more than 300 students, Radford is one of the smallest schools in Group AA, and the Bobcats have not had a winning record in boys' basketball for the last three seasons.
"I won't go out on a limb and say we'll turn this thing around," said Cormany, who has experienced only one losing season as a head coach. "All I can do is come in and try to find the kids who are committed to the system, who want to work hard and do things the right way. If they'll do that, the wins and losses will take care of themselves."
Cormany, 35, has a 160-76 record in 10 years. His teams have won four Mountain Empire regular-season championships and have been to seven Region C tournaments.
After coaching tiny Rocky Gap to three Mountain Empire titles from 1982-1986, Cormany worked at Radford University on the staff of former Highlanders coach Joe Davis. He remains in close contact with Davis, now at Lynchburg College, and former Highlanders assistant Steve Robinson, who works under Roy Williams at Kansas.
Cormany went to Grayson County in 1988 and turned around the Blue Devils' program. Grayson County's 1989 Mountain Empire tournament championship was its first basketball crown in 10 years. The Blue Devils won the regular-season championship last season.
"Rick is an outstanding coach," said Radford principal Buddy Martin, who coached Radford High School during its glory days. "He has a wealth of basketball experience at a variety of levels."
Cormany replaces Brenda King, who relinquished her position as boys' coach in June.
King, who will continue coaching Radford's girls, made history two years ago when she became the first woman in a half-century to coach high school boys' basketball in Virginia.
Cormany came to Radford as a guidance counselor in the spring when King was a candidate for the girls' basketball job at Christiansburg.
When King resigned, the door was opened for his return to coaching.
"This job turned out to be one I couldn't refuse," Cormany said.
by CNB