Rodney Woods was twice named Kentucky coach of the year and nine 12th Region titles. (Photo submitted)
Rodney Woods won over 750 games, including nine 12th Region titles, in 38 years at Wayne County. He has won more games — 824 — than any active high school coach in Kentucky and is fourth on the state’s all-time win list with his 44-year mark of 824-470. Twice he was named the state coach of the year.
He has 11 of his 12 players of this year’s team that went 24-8 before losing to Danville Christian Academy in the 12th Region tourney and 10 of his 11 returning players will be back for two more years so it certainly seemed logical that Woods would move past William Kean of Central with 856 career wins into third on the all-time coaching win list in the next two years.
Or at least it seemed logical until first-year Wayne County superintendent Donnie Neal fired Woods on Wednesday in a move that didn’t surprise the coaching icon.
How could that be? Woods is not only a winning coach but he does it the right way. He has turned down numerous chances to leave Wayne County because he loves the Monticello area. He’s one of the most respected coaches in the state and his teams are built on fundamental basketball with players who grew up and lived in Wayne County.
So why was Woods not surprised he was fired? Simple. It seems Woods’ wife was on a superintendent search screening committee 10 years ago that did not recommend Neal, a principal in the Wayne system at the time, to be superintendent.
“He said then he would get me and he was hired as superintendent in August,” Woods said Wednesday. “He sent one of his assistants to my house today to tell me that my coaching duties had been terminated. Nobody is going to be able to talk to him or call him.”
Jeff Hoover was one of many fans that Woods has who was upset by the decision and didn’t hide his feelings on social media.
“If you want to call Wayne County Superintendent Don Neal and tell him what a stupid, selfish, petty, bone-headed decision he made to fire @coachrwoods, his number is (606) 348-8484. Personal vendetta to get rid of one of the best high school coaches in Kentucky history. Unbelievable,” Hoover posted on X. “Absolute travesty. @coachrwoods is arguably the best high school coach in Kentucky. Guarantee you he’s Top 5 from any objectionable analysis. Incredible. Folks in Wayne County will not be happy. True basketball fans not happy. “I’m more than not happy.”
WKYT-TV sports director Brian Milam posted this: “An absolute travesty has occurred in the HS coaching ranks. Wayne County coach Rodney Woods has been relieved of his duties. Pink-slipped by the new Superintendent. 38 years of winning and Coach Woods gets canned like this? “Something is not right in Monticello.”
No it is not right and reminds me of the idiotic decision made a few years ago by the Danville Independent Schools superintendent to fire coach Clay Clevenger two years after he won a state title. It put the entire school system into disarray and Danville is still fighting to recover.
Sophomore Seth Farmer is a 6-6 forward/center who plays for Woods and made his feelings about the coach clear on X too.
“The entire team loves Coach Woods and nobody wanted him gone. If you’re supposed to do what’s right by the school, then you would never do such a thing. He is the best coach in this state and there is no argument. An absolute disgrace! “We will not stand for this,” Farmer posted on social media.
Disgrace is a fair word but my guess is the new Wayne administration does not care and there’s really nothing anyone else can really do to walk back this decision no matter how unpopular or unfair it is.
Former player Mason Burchett was also not happy with the news.
“This is absolutely ridiculous. I have been a part of the Wayne County Basketball program sense I was able to walk. @coachrwoods has not only been a huge part of my life, but a huge part of others life’s as well. Wayne County Basketball will never be the same. Thank you Coach!” Burchett posted on X.
Woods said the new superintendent gave raises to coaches in all sports except football and basketball when he was hired but he was fine with that since he felt the other coaches were underpaid.
“They needed a raise,” Woods said. “I ain’t got nothing to hide. I have been here 38 years. I have never wanted to coach anywhere else. I had a bunch of chances to leave and never have. I love it here.
“It was brought up in (school board) meetings in the summer that the rumor was I would be gone at the end of the year but of course board members are not allowed to talk about personnel. “I told people all year I thought he would do it but people did not believe me but I knew it could be coming.”
Woods had not had a chance to talk to his players yet but was told some of them — along with several parents — went to the board of education office to talk to Allen but he would not meet with them.
“It’s disappointing and it hasn’t been a good day but life is full of hard turns,” the former Wayne coach said.
He won’t look for another coaching job because he doesn’t want to leave the town/county he loves. Instead, he’ll spend more time with his seven grandkids and also attend more University of Tennessee basketball games.
He was the point guard at Tennessee for coach Ray Mears when stars Bernard King and Ernie Grunfield played for the Vols. He led the Southeastern Conference in assists three times as he averaged 9.4 points and 6.9 assists per game in his career and still holds the single season assists record with 227 in 1975.
Woods coached three years at Powell Valley, Tenn., and three years at Corbin before moving to Wayne County before the 1986-87 season.
“I have been to about five Tennessee games in the 38 years I have lived here because I was always doing something,” Woods said. “Now I’ll get to go back more.”
That’s good for him but a huge, huge loss for Kentucky high school basketball and Wayne County.
