Wilson leaving WC for Shreveport-Woodlawn

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 6, 2003

[06/06/03] After two seasons the latter a history-maker Warren Central boys basketball coach Preston Wilson is leaving for Louisiana.

Wilson, who left Brookhaven for a struggling Warren Central program in 2001, accepted the head coaching job at Shreveport’s Woodlawn High School, a Class 4A school.

“Our loss is certainly their gain,” Warren Central principal Mack Douglas said. “He came in on day one and made an impact at the school.”

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Wilson guided the Vikings to a runner up finish in the Division 4-5A tournament and a spot in the Class 5A state playoffs. It was the team’s first foray into the state playoffs since 1994.

But a desire to get closer to his ailing father, who lives in Louisiana, was the deciding factor in him leaving WC, Douglas said.

In Shreveport, Wilson will be about an hour away from his family.

Repeated attempts to reach Wilson were unsuccessful.

Wilson made his mark quickly on a program that had been starved for success for years. After one losing season, his team went 17-11 last year.

In two short seasons, he took the team through the division tournament and into the North State satellite game, where the Vikings fell to eventual state runner up Starkville. Before that, the Vikings advanced out of division in 1994.

But Wilson’s accomplishments ventured far beyond the basketball court. He taught government classes at WC and was planning on leading the school’s Advanced Placement government classes, Douglas said. In addition, he had plans to attend the University of Alabama this summer to further enhance his teaching.

Douglas said an immediate search for a new coach would begin, but that the timing of Wilson’s departure about two months before the start of school may make hiring difficult.

“We’ll get out there and see who’s available,” Douglas said.

Wilson is the second basketball coach to leave Warren Central this year. Ninth-grade girls coach Elyse Mathis left after one season as Donny Fuller’s assistant.

Wilson leaves Warren Central with a 29-27 record.