An uphill battle

Ron Counts, Staff Writer
Published: November 30, 2008

Jennings is a name that has been associated with Culpeper sports for the better part of three decades.

Keith Jennings was a three-sport star at Culpeper High School before becoming a member of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and his father Ken has coached basketball, football and baseball in Culpeper for almost 30 years.

“I just like being around the kids,” the 66-year-old coaching veteran said. “I’m a teacher first. The kids know that I’m fair, and that we’re going to play to win.”

Winning hasn’t been much of a problem. Jennings led Floyd T. Binns’ football and basketball teams to consecutive undefeated seasons from 2001 to 2006, so it was surprising to many when he didn’t even receive an interview after applying for the basketball coaching vacancy at the newly-built Eastern View High School.

“It’s baffling,” said Keith Jennings, head basketball coach at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, TN. “If you’re looking for someone that’s homegrown, has a great knowledge of the game and is respected by the community, he fits the criteria.”

Jennings retired from coaching in the public school system in 2006, but he’s still a central figure in the local sports scene. He’s currently coaching basketball at St. Luke’s and officiating basketball, football and baseball games around the area.

“I have the utmost respect for what Coach Jennings has done,” Eastern View Athletic Director Mark Settle said. “I’ve known him for at least 30 years, but if we interviewed everyone that applied to be a coach, or a janitor for that matter, we wouldn’t get much work done.”

Settle and his committee reviewed at least 12 applicants during the hiring process, putting the most emphasis on potential coaches who were already working for the school system.

“Hiring someone that’s already in-house helps the kids and the administrators,” he said. “It’s just easier to be able to go down the hall to talk to a coach about scheduling or discipline issues than to have to make phone calls or deal with e-mails.”

Eastern View settled on the Rev. Eugene Logan to run its first basketball squad in school history. Logan wasn’t employed by the Culpeper school system at the time of his hiring, but Settle said he had something else the committee valued — contacts at the college level.

“We felt like he (Logan) could help our kids get to college,” he said. “He has worked with several schools, and we want our coaches to be able to help any of our players that are willing to put the work in to play at the next level.”

The Eastern View job isn’t the first that Jennings has unsuccessfully applied for. He interviewed for the CCHS football coaching position in 2004, but the Blue Devils decided to hire Greg Martz instead. He has also been passed over for the CCHS boys and girls basketball coaching positions in recent years.
It begs the question, why is such a successful coach having such a hard time finding a job?

“The only reason I can think of is his age,” Keith Jennings said. “But he still loves the game and he still loves coaching and teaching.”

Age wasn’t a factor in the committee’s decision to pass on Jennings, according to Settle.

“We have reviewed every aspect of all of our applicants,” he said. “There are guidelines and procedures that we have to follow, but we’re not closing the door on anyone.”

Despite his retirement, Jennings is still teaching kids the game of basketball, but he said the desire to get back into coaching in the public school system is still very much there.

“I’m already retired, so I don’t need the money,” he said. “I just think I could be a help to the kids. If the schools want me back, and I feel like I could help those kids, I would coach again in a heart beat.”

Ron Counts can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or

Ken Jennings resume
- Coached basketball, football and baseball in Culpeper for 30 years.
- Led the Floyd T. Binns football and basketball teams to five undefeated seasons.
- Won seven of eight games in his first year coaching at St. Lukes.