TC Williams Basketball Moves In New Direction With Coaching Hire

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Since T.C. Williams basketball coach Bryan Hill was fired two years ago in late October, the team has seen two more coaches pass through: interim coach Walt Coleman and last year's coach Brett Sullivan. Now the newest coach to take the reins is Darryl Prue, a DC area coach and 1980s basketball star. For a few seniors that have been in the program for four years, they're getting their fourth coach.

Alexandria City Public Schools Athletic Director James Parker, who assumed the position in August, told Patch in a phone interview the coaching change is part of a new vision for athletic programs. Parker is recruiting big name athletes in an attempt to make T.C. Williams the known place for developing top high school athletes. He stressed the value of players interacting with coaches with contacts for college sports and wants to bring in other professional athletes for talks with players.

"We want to be the gold standard of high school sports," said Parker.

Prue is the coach of Team Takeover, of the Amateur Athletic Union program, a personal trainer for several NBA players and has coached for Georgetown University and Morgan State University. He is a two-time First-Team All-Met forward at Baltimore's Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and was named a Third-Team All-American by Street and Smith. When he played for West Virginia University, he received Second-Team All-League honors, First-Team recognition, and an Honorable Mention All-American. He played on the international basketball circuit for 11 years and won three league championships.

Another high-profile hire is Lisa Willis, a Team USA gold medalist and former WNBA player. She will coach the girl's basketball team.

As part of the strategic plan he's developing, Parker has been evaluating each sport and whether it the right leader to implement this vision while ensuring players fulfill their academic responsibilities.

But given the boys basketball team's recent history with coaching turnover, not all parents were pleased with the introduction of a new coach as the new season approaches. A few spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their children. One parent told Patch the players were learning a new offense system under Sullivan and will have to adapt to a new coaching style.

The parent didn't have complaints about the new coach but is "disillusioned" by the coaching turnover and the lack of communication with Sullivan and families about the change. Parents reportedly found out the coaching change from Sullivan himself, who learned he wouldn't be returning as the school year began. ACPS held a meeting with families last week to announce Prue as the new coach.

ACPS spokesperson Helen Lloyd did not comment on the decision to not offer Sullivan a new contract but said it was not "negative" and was based around the program's new vision.

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The parent's concerns stem from players and families' reactions after Hill was fired a week before tryouts in 2016. Students sent a letter to the then-athletic director requested he be reinstated. Hill reportedly learned his firing stemmed from giving a player a ride home, but some parents claimed a school board member with kids on the team initiated it.

Parker tells Patch while he can't change the past history of coaching changes, he says the team can move forward. "It's not my show or the coaches' show. I have to do what's best for the kids," said Parker.

Tryouts begin on Nov. 5 with the regular season kicking off at the end of November.

Image via ACPS