Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
From modest beginnings in Mississippi, Van Chancellor became a three-time WNBA Coach of the Year, led Ole Miss to the Elite Eight @ the NCAA Tournament four times, and coached his United States National Team to first place at the 2002 Opals World Challenge.
These are just a few things I learned about Coach Van Chancellor. A few weeks ago, Joe Corley contacted me about Coach Chancellor coming to his home for a visit and thought I might like to interview Chancellor.
Now, I am not one to miss an interview possibility if I can…Joe’s deal sounded pretty good.
As I began preparing for the interview, I was like “how did Joe Corley did hooked up with this guy…he is big time!” Joe coached under Van Chandler for a few years at Ole Miss when Chancellor was building his girl’s basketball team. From that coaching period, the two men became fast friends with an appreciation for one anothers talents.
Coach Chancellor visited Joe and Cindy Corley’s home for a friends and family gathering. Joe wanted his “old” friends to meet his “new” friends!
Van Chancellor played two years of basketball at East Central Junior College in Decatur. MS. Following his time at East Central, Chancellor transferred to MS State where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physical education in 1965. During his senior year at MSU, he served as head coach of the boy’s basketball team at Noxapater High School. He went on to coach boy’s and girl’s basketball at Horn Lake High School and Harrison Central High School. Chancellor received his master’s degree in physical education for the University of Mississippi in 1973.
He spent 19 seasons (1978-1997) as head coach of the University of Ms Lady Rebels. He guided the Lady Rebels to eh NCAA Tournament 14 times including 11 consecutive appliances.
The information about Coach goes on and on…but in his interview I saw into the real person. A person who loved God, his family, and sports…especially girl’s basketball. He never wanted to coach girls but with a strange turn of events, he ended up with his career in girl’s basketball.
When I began the interview, I knew I was in the presence of a legend…a man who had followed and worked the path God laid before him.
Van Chancellor has a book titled “Nothin’ But A Champion.” The book tells the story of his basketball life.
The book is a good read…one that is worth the time!
Thank you Joe and Cindy for including me in the opportunity to meet a legend.
