Stallings: Coaching Through the Generations by sierra karner Once you find home, you never want to leave. Coach Chris Stallings and his family have grown up in Mount Washington their whole lives. When growing up in a family where coaching is in your blood, you are bound to be doing something involved in it. After coming back to the community, Stallings wanted a larger role. Over the years, the community’s support has put the icing on the cake. Coach Stallings’ grandmother played for the first girls team in Mount Washington. His sister played for Bullitt East before getting a full ride to be the basketball manager at Western Kentucky University and is now the assistant head coach for the Bullitt East girls basketball team. His son is a volunteer assistant coach and his daughter is the head freshman coach and the second paid assistant coach. The Stallings’ with the varsity girls basketball at Valley High school. They just won the regional tournament. “In that exact
“Some days I’m a mom, some days I’m a trainer, moment we all felt pure happiness and excitement. With all the challenges this year has faced us with to have a goal and acheive it was amazing,” said some days I’m a coach. It all just kind of depend on what hat they need me to wear that day,” Stallings’ daughter, Coach Katie Hoben said. She began coaching Coach Stallings appreciates all the support that they’ve received when Stallings asked her to come back after graduating high from the community over the years. They have always received school when he needed some help with seventh graders that were strong support from players’ parents and the administration playing on varsity. After that role, everything kind of fell into through the years. It has been beneficial to the fact that the the place they’re in today. Stallings have been here without leaving or going anywhere else. The Stallings family enjoys representing the community well and the school. The girls basketball program is very important to them and they prioritize keeping a good representation of it. “It’s fun to be able to do this with your family and the ones that have chosen to be your family,” Hoben said.
“You don’t see that too often anymore in today’s world... that longevity. Teaching and coaching is all I ever wanted to do. I have been approached to move or become an administrator but I always went back to, I enjoy what I do where I am. My roots are here at Bullitt East.” Stallings said. Coach Stallings’ entire career has been at Bullitt East which isn’t very common in the coaching world, where people tend to hop around a lot. Stallings was, and still is, dedicated to making a name for the program and himself by being invested in one spot. The community seems to really support that and wants to see the program do well.
Stallings was always surrounded by supportive people. He has always enjoyed the small town and the community. Stallings was inspired into coaching because of his family, teachers and previous coaches. These people helped mold Stallings into the young student-athlete he was. “I enjoyed the competition plus giving back to my school and community,” Stallings said. Stallings played for the first girls’ coach at Bullitt East, Steve Small, and helped him by scouting games for him while Stallings was in college.
“Whether it be a pandemic, your team makes it to Rupp Arena, whether it be a Unified Champion School Day and you fill the entire gym up with community members and people that want to see the school and you all (students) succeed, you just can’t get that everywhere. Even if you go to another small town, there’s just not quite the same feel as it is here.” Hoben said.
Smalls’, eventually moved to Western Kentucky University and Jerry Troutman took over his position. Coach Troutman had noticed the desire to coach in Stallings. He had an opening on the staff when Stallings finished up college and gave him the position. He eventually worked his way up from being the assistant coach in 1986 to the head coach now working on his 22 year.
Because the Stallings are coaches, they realize how the community of Mount Washington comes together. They see how the community gets together to support each other whether it be the basketball teams are going to state or just to have an event for the kids. It’s easy to compare and notice how Mount Washington is different from other communities. Graphic: Katey Goins 25
