West wins 200th career game
By TODD FORREST Sentinel Writer

Union County girls head basketball coach, Mike West won his 200th career game on Saturday, Feb. 2nd at Rabun County by the score of 56-50. Coach West began his career at Newton County before coming to Union County during the 2004-05 season. West led his teams to the state playoffs several times at Newton and will be leading the Union County Lady Panthers to state this season. This will be Union's girls first trip to state since West has been at the helm.

Of his victories at Union County, West claims his win last Friday over Rabun County was the biggest one. "It was for a state playoff berth and a sub-region title. It is by far my most memorable victory at Union County," said West.

This year's senior class were freshman when West took over the Union County job. They have endured a lot of growing pains but this season's team improved it's regular season win total by nine games from last season. They also went from last place in the sub-region just two seasons ago to sub-region champs this year. His players feel that this season's success wouldn't have been possible without Coach West. Senior Kayla Gowder said, "I believe that much of the team's success can be attributed to Coach West. As a team we execute but everything we do is because of his great coaching skills and his knowledge and love for the game. Without Coach West we would never be where we are today. Coach West had made me a better person off the court because he has taught me to be a leader, to work hard, and most of all to never give up. He isn't just my coach, he is one of my best friends and a positive role model that I look up to."

Senior Leslie Bittenbinder not only looks up to Coach West but she sees him as member of the team that just isn't allowed to play. "I don't really consider Coach West a coach," says Bittenbinder. He's more like a player that just can't go in. I don't believe we have a coach and players. We're all one team; 100 percent of it is because of him and us. We've been in it together since he started building the program. He stuck with us and we stuck with him. We're successful because he never gave up and taught us what we needed to and because we believed in each other." Bittenbinder also recalled one of her favorite memories of Coach West was when she "broke his ankles" during practice. "He was guarding me once when we were doing two man workouts because B.O. (Senior Brittany Odom) was sick and I faked him out and he jumped up and hurt his ankle. It was so funny."

After winning his 200th game, the team presented him with the game ball and a banner to commemorate his accomplishment. "It was a special moment for all of us and I know it meant the world with him to share it with us girls, said Kayla Gowder. "We felt the same way and I feel privileged to be part of his amazing record. I wouldn't play for anyone else. He's awesome."

West knew from a very young age that he wanted to be a coach. "My third grade teacher taught me how to read and write when all the other teachers tried to just endure my ADHD and pass me on to the next grade level. I did not know it until years later, but I wanted to teach and try to do the same thing for others. I realized that I had a passion for the game of basketball when I was 7 years old, and I knew that I wanted to coach because of all the good coaches that have influenced me over my years of sports," said West. When asked what his goals were when he came to Union and where the program goes from here, West responded, "To BUILD a respectable program that would be in the mix year in and year out. To have a program where kids could be proud to be on the basketball team. We have not met them because it is an ongoing process that needs to keep evolving. Next year, we will start over and try to contend just like we have this year. We will not be as good, but that does not mean that we cannot be good and that does not mean that we can not contend and be there in the end!"