The last time we talked to Dennis Hutson in this blog, he was not only calling it quits from the Bridgeport High School girls’ basketball head coaching position, but calling it quits period. The coach with decades of experience was stepping away from the game.

 

The announcement came here March 10, 2019. The retirement last about six months as he joined former RCB standout Cody Gilmore on the bench as an assistant for Salem University’s women’s team. He then went into retirement last year, which was the first time in more than 40 years he did not coach in any capacity.

 

In fairness, I never asked Hutson if he would be back to coach college, middle school, or any other level. Technically, his high school retirement was still in place and at two years.

 

Now, that has changed too. A little while back, Hutson was officially approved as the new girls’ varsity basketball head coach at Liberty High School.

 

For the man who will now be coaching at the high school level in part of four different decades, there is a little bit of irony involved. Hutson’s very first prep coaching gig came after coaching at then Salem Junior High at the same Liberty High School. He was the assistant boys coach with Jim Clevenger. I know, he was my coach – and I’m 53, to give you an idea of just how long Hutson has been mentoring students.

 

“I guess it’s kind of unique in its own way. That is where my high school coaching started,” said Hutson on returning to Liberty. “I’m kind of a gypsy in Harrison County basketball. This is my fourth girls’ team in Harrison County. I’ve coached everyone now with the exception of South Harrison and Notre Dame.”

 

This is actually the 20^th season Hutson will have coached girls in basketball at the high school level. He spent eight years at Lincoln, seven years at Robert C. Byrd, and four years at BHS. He took every team to the state tournament and even made as far as the championship game with the Cougars.

 

Here’s the kicker. Hutson has also coached boys’ basketball for 28 seasons, including a stint as the late Gene Randolph's assistant where the pair teamed up to bring BHS its last boys basketball title. Together, he is starting his 42^nd season coaching.

 

For those wondering why the math does not add up, it is simple. When Hutson began coaching, the boys and girls competed at different times of the year. For several of those years going back into the early 1980s, Hutson coached both the boys and the girls.

 

Of course, I had to ask what led Hutson to come back. After all, he is taking over a team that won, he said, just one game last year. Success has not been common. However, accepting a challenge is something common for Hutson. That, and his love for working basketball with youngsters.

 

“I was subbing at Liberty last spring the whole second semester and got to know the kids and in one physical education class saw some potential that this thing could be turned around,” said Hutson. “There are athletes here. Now, I have to work to change the mindset to winning for the players and for the school. I’ll be disappointed if we do not have a successful season.”

 

Hutson won’t be doing it alone. He will be joined by former Robert C. Byrd standout Shayla Hinterer, who also competed on the college level at Davis & Elkins.

 

“She got a teaching job at RCB and had been coaching middle school in (Monongalia) County and was wanting to get into high school here. The timing was perfect,” said Hutson. “It’s nice to have a young and energetic coach that knows the game and knows what we’re trying to accomplish.”

 

Surprisingly, Hutson said he was not missing coaching last year when he was without a whistle at any level for the first time in a generation or more. That, too, had a simple explanation.

 

“Watching how COVID messed everything up, I really didn’t miss it. I got the itch again when I saw firsthand there is potential here,” said Hutson. “I wouldn’t have taken this position if I didn’t think this team was not able to be successful. They can be successful.”

 

Hutson knows overcoming the stigma of a single win last year will require work. He knows working with a young team – there will likely be just one senior on the roster – will also be tough. Still, he sees it coming together.

 

“We’ll have some size. We’ll have some speed. Our feeder school, Mountaineer Middle, won the county championship last year,” said Hutson. “The pieces are there.”

 

Hutson is not just building for this year He said he is building for the future.

 

“We should have 17 or 18, and I hope more, on the team. That gives us enough to have a jayvee program, which is critical for success,” said Hutson. “I have never coached anywhere where there wasn’t a jayvee program and Liberty did not have one last year. That’s going to change.”

 

Hutson’s first official return to basketball at the high school level will be Dec. 7 at Lincoln. He will be returning to his old stomping grounds.

 

Of course, he’s going to do the same when he plays Bridgeport and RCB. And he is currently coaching on the oldest of stomping grounds out on Davisson Run Road.

 

I guess he is a gypsy. At the very least, Dennis Hutson is Harrison County’s basketball gypsy.

 

Editor's Note: First and third photos - file shots by Ben Queen Photography - show Hutson in his final season coaching the BHS girls, while he's shown with the Indians state title team in the second photo. In the bottom photo, Hutson is shown in his first year in high school coaching in 1983. That is yours truly, the author, seated wearing 23 in much skinnier days.