Looking Ahead to Hoops
Incoming head basketball coach Kurt Young comes to Lexington from a record-setting season at Mercer County.
He wasn’t looking to make a move, but Douglass was irresistible. “The opportunity to not only start a program but build on the old FDHS was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The location was also a factor. Lexington, especially Hamburg, is a tremendous place to live and raise a family. Also, Lexington is the hub of basketball not only in the state but in the country. Nowhere combines the tradition and love for basketball like Lexington. Add that to the new facilities, the vision of the administration, the talent pool, and hopefully the local support, it was something that I could not turn down!”
He adds, “I was a college coach for 20 years and traveled all over. Whenever, I mentioned that I was from Kentucky, people would talk about how much people from Kentucky loved basketball and it must be great to be a coach from there. They were right and now I get to do it in Lexington! It is different in Kentucky. I made it to the State Championship game in my only season in Virginia High school and it didn’t match the energy of the district or regional championships last year at Mercer.”
Building a new program from the ground up has its pros and cons. “The excitement and the opportunity to establish the culture, expectations, standards, and traditions are the greatest things about starting new. The tough things about starting one from scratch is the fundraising from the ground up and little things like waiting for the gym to be finished. But those are small prices to pay to be able to be a part of something so special.”
He’s confident Douglass is “going to be a great environment and opportunity. I am also looking forward to getting know everyone in the Hamburg area. We truly want Douglass basketball to be part of the community and something that the community of Hamburg will be proud of.”
Check out the story on Frederick Douglass High School and their football team here.
