Greenfield's Don Durden plays key role in bringing second gold ball to the town

Michael Odom
Jackson Sun
Greenfield assistant coach Don Durden gives Greenfield's Tess Darby a hug at the end of the the 2018 Class A Championship game, Saturday, March 10, in Murfreesboro. Greenfield defeated Summertown, 47-39, to become the 2018 Class A Champions.

MURFREESBORO - 34 years ago, Don Durden walked off of the court at Memorial Gymnasium as the first head coach to win a state championship for Greenfield.

On Saturday, Durden and Greenfield got to add one more to the collection.

Serving as an assistant coach, head coach Willie Trevathan, Durden and the Lady Yellowjackets won the Class A state championship with a 47-39 victory over Summertown.

"That boy has wanted a girlfriend to put in the trophy case, so now he has a girlfriend," Durden said. "They are a good bunch of girls that work hard. They have a good mixture of talent. Each one knows what their job is. This has been a learning experience for them, but I am proud of them."

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That would be the second state championship in Greenfield history.

"He has been there, and he doesn't get involved in the Xs and Os anymore, he is more about the big picture," Trevathan said. "He is focused on the subtle adjustments like thinking of this or that coming out of a timeout. He is at a point in his life where this is a great gift to be able to give him."

Durden has now completed his 58th season in coaching, and his wealth of knowledge impacts the Lady Yellowjackets on a weekly basis. And he definitely had an impact this week.

"He kept reminding me and the players that it is just another game," Trevathan said. "You just have to focus on what we are doing and not on what is next if we win."

Trevathan has grown into a better coach through the mentoring of Durden.

"My first year to be head coach, coaching our middle school boys, I hadn't coached a game, and we were at summer camp, we lost," Trevathan said. "I was mad at the team, and we were at Gibson County. I told them to go up and run until I got there. I sat down and talked to a coach for a second, and I went up there expecting them to be running. Instead they were sitting down drinking Gatorade, I came up ready to come unglued, and Coach Durden said. 'I told them to sit down and drink Gatorade. They don't need to be running, you do. You lost that game.' That is the way that he teaches."

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There have been good and bad times in the mentoring process.

"There have been times when he has been like a grandfather to me, and there have been times when he has got on my tail a little bit," Trevathan said. "He has had to lift me up when I was down. He told me early on that you really haven't coached until you have had your guts ripped out. I have had several of those games now. Each time, he would be there to remind me that there will come a day when this will all be worth it."

Greenfield girls' assistant coach Don Durden reaches out to Greenfield's head coach Willie Trevathan after their 2018 Class A Championship game win over Summertown, Saturday, March 10, in Murfreesboro. Greenfield defeated Summertown, 47-39, to become the 2018 Class A Champions.

And the players have felt his mentoring also.

"His years of experience have really helped us," Greenfield sophomore Chloe Moore said. "People give credit to our team and coach (Willie) Trevathan, but he has helped us a lot as well."

With many young players on the Lady Yellowjackets' roster, Durden has tried to impart  knowledge on them.

"I want them to understand the game of basketball," Durden said. "After they know the situations, you can sit back and watch them perform. The joy for me is not the coaching but the teaching part of it. Teaching is in the gym when it is hot and sweaty in the offseason, and the coaching is in the limelight."

In 1984, the Greenfield boys team had to overcome a Bolton team led by future Memphis State and Miami Heat player Sylvester Gray. This year's team didn't have an obstacle like that to overcome, but it was just as special.

"It is special right now," Durden said. "I would compare this year's girl team with that team in having players that knew how to do their job and work hard."

Reach Michael Odom at michodom@jacksonsun.com or 731-425-9754. Follow him on Twitter @JSWriterMichael.