Caption
The Southwest DeKalb girls basketball team became five-time 5A Region Champions in February 2020.
Credit: southwestdekalbathletics.com
Banner Image
Blog
Section Branding
Header Content
10 Questions With Southwest DeKalb Girls Basketball Coach Kathleen Richey-Walton
Hero Image
Primary Content
Though the Southwest DeKalb girls basketball season ended earlier than they had hoped with a loss to a tough Stockbridge team in the first round of the playoffs earlier this week, the young squad exceeded expectations on many fronts. For Hall of Fame Coach Kathleen Richey-Walton it is just another opportunity to reload and build yet another championship team.
GPB's Hannah Goodin caught up with Coach Richey-Walton to talk about everything from the Panthers playoff run, her numerous state championships and her proudest accomplishments as a coach.
Q1: Southwest DeKalb made it to the first round of the 4A playoffs after posting a 12-4 region record. Your team had a tough test against Stockbridge on the road and ultimately lost in the first round. How proud are you of this team?
Coach Richey-Walton: They were so impressive because of our youth and that’s basically what showed up in the Stockbridge game. Also, our leading scorer and leading rebounder was out with an injury. So, we had to pivot and make some adjustments. But we only have one junior, and the rest are sophomores and freshman. To finish as high as we did, third in the region, playing against both Holy Innocence and Westminster who both have Stanford signees, and for us to be the highest finishing public school in the region is a testament to their work ethics and doing what needed to be done for us to be competitive at that level.
Q2: Let's get to know your team a little better. Name some of those top playmakers that you just mentioned.
Coach Richey-Walton: The one that was out with an injury is Jah’naesia Speirs she made first team all-region and she’s a sophomore. We had another two-time all-region first team Janiya McCoy. Then I had two players make honorable mention, one is a freshman Baliee Canty and then another sophomore Camille Files. Those were our primary players this year, three sophomores and a freshman.
Q3: What was this season like for the Panthers from start to finish?
Coach Richey-Walton: Tremendous growth. We don't get started as early as some of the other teams because all my players do fall sports. I ask them to do fall and spring sports. At the beginning of the season, I had Janiya McCoy and my junior running in the state cross country meet, so they didn’t come out until a day or two before our first game. Then I had three other kids play softball, and they went to State, so they didn't come out until late. We had to work hard to get caught up, but I really enjoy them playing multiple sports and being active.
Q4: You know what it takes to win a state championship because you’ve won 5 GHSA titles with Southwest DeKalb. How are you able to maintain that level of excellence?
Coach Richey-Walton: I'm fortunate to live in a community that's very supportive, including the parents and administrators. So, like a lot of programs, the coaches trust the process. And I believe in what we're trying to achieve, because Southwest had never won a state Championship until we won that first one in 2008. So, it was just getting them to believe in and trust the process too, and then put in the work and make those commitments. I mean, it’s all the cliches that everyone talks about, the hard work and commitment and all those things. And that's what they do. They really trust the process and put in the work.
Q5: Southwest DeKalb added you to its Hall of Fame in 2018 and re-named the basketball court after you. Among all the accolades you’ve earned, what are you most proud of?
Coach Richey-Walton: The first thing I have to say that I'm most proud of are my children because that's what brought me here to Southwest. All three of my children graduated from Southwest DeKalb and all three of them were scholar athletes. So basically, they got me here and then the kids here at Southwest have kept me here. And I'm probably as equally proud of them because of the number of scholar athletes we have. We have been fortunate where every year I have kids that get scholarships in Division 1, Division 2, and JUCO. One year in 2010 I had 8 seniors and all 8 got offers. I think that’s probably the biggest thing I strive for is for them to have an opportunity, if they want it, at the next level.
Q6: You recently were selected to coach the East Team in the upcoming McDonalds All-American Game. How big of an honor is that for you?
Coach Richey-Walton: I'm still trying to process it because it’s a little overwhelming. I’m trying to process it because why? Then also putting it into perspective that it represents a body of work and all the people, you know, it wasn’t just during our state championship years, but they looked at everything. We won seven region championships in a row, not including this year but the previous seven years. So, I guess I just look at it as so many people have poured in so much to this program and it just represents all of them and all the things that they have accomplished. It is overwhelming. I know when I get there I'm going to be in awe of everything that’s going on.
Q7: You mentioned her earlier… you will be coaching one of the best high school players in the state in Westminster senior Courtney Ogden who’s committed to Stanford. What will it be like coaching a player you normally make a game plan against?
Coach Richey-Walton: Oh, relief. I'm glad you're on my team now. I'm going to be really excited to have an opportunity to coach someone of that talent. It's gonna be very exciting.
Q8: You coached at the college level for 20 years, what makes coaching high school special for you?
Coach Richey-Walton: I think what I like most about high school is the community. I don't think, in fact I know, I would not be in the Hall of Fame or in a McDonald's if it wasn't such an amazing community. And I actually live in the community. I mean, that's why my children attended because I came here and I live in the community. So, I think just the whole community, family, administrative support has made it rewarding. Their support has allowed me to do the things that I need to do for the student athletes at Southwest.
Q9: What do you want your legacy to be?
Coach Richey-Walton: Probably the way I approached coaching, that it is and was and never will be about me. It’s always about the kids, and that we strive to help every young person try to achieve their goals and help them go to whatever next level or whatever path they want to go. I had one athlete that after she graduated, she wanted to go to Cordon Bleu and be a chef. She’s now an amazing chef. I want to give them those opportunities, the confidence and the recourses so that they can go on to achieve and explore whatever they want to get into.
Q10: What’s next for Southwest DeKalb girls’ basketball?
Coach Richey-Walton: We’re back! Everyone needs to pay attention. I’m really excited because we were so young, and that loss really hurt them. I think they’re going to be even more focused and more committed, and I know the staff is so check us out!
BONUS: What advice do you give to young players trying to stand out?
Coach Richey-Walton: The advice I give all my athletes is to put in the work. I've never had an athlete who worked hard and said that it wasn't worth it. I had an athlete who was from Nigeria, Ogheneruona Uwusiaba, and she had never played ball before. We had to put her on JV because she didn't know anything about basketball her sophomore year, because she came to us as a sophomore. She worked seven days a week, sometimes twice a day. And by her junior year she was on varsity and played for a state championship and won a state championship. And then her senior year she got 22 offers. She just worked tremendously, and her work ethic was off the charts. I’ve had a lot of athletes that came to me as JV players and ended up becoming Division 1 athletes.
Secondary Content
Author
Bottom Content
