Rollings picked to lead Bearcats boys

By Barry Byers - bbyers@heraldonline.com

Finding a boys basketball coach at Rock Hill High School was a matter of switching offices.

Eric Rollings, the varsity girls coach the past three years, has moved down the hall next to the gym and has taken over as the boys coach. Leaving the girls team was hard on Rollings, and he said yes to coaching the boys in the final hour.

“When I took over the girls team, I never changed the way I coached,” Rollings said. “What I did change was the way I dealt with my players away from the court.

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“I really enjoyed coaching the girls, and this is one of the hardest decisions I've had to make.”

Rollings said rumors have been sweeping through the school since Bobby Stevens stepped down last Monday, the first day of practice, that Rollings would be the replacement. He told his players that if it happened, he would tell them right away.

“I appreciate Judy Mobley, our principal, Billy Parker, our AD, and Cindy Elder, our assistant AD, for giving me this opportunity,” he said. “I'm ready and I'm willing to work hard like I've always done.”

The move leaves the girls without a coach, but Rollings said he will run practice for both teams until a coach is found. He'll hold his first practice with the boys today and afterward take the girls to York for a scrimmage.

When Rollings was hired four years ago, he had no problem coaching the girls team because being a head coach at the varsity level was one of the goals he set. But he didn't take the job for just that reason, and, like everything he does, Rollings said he will put his all into his new position.

Rollings' first team in 2006 was 22-5 and won the Region 3-AAAA title. He had to rebuild the last two seasons, finishing 8-12 and 8-13, but the new girls coach will have experienced players.

“Of course my plan was to win, but it went past that,” Rollings said. “I wanted to build a program and we have done that. Still, this is tough on me and I had to seek advice on what to do.

“I called Coach (Jim) Ringer … and he said if it was something I wanted, to go for it. He pointed out that Rock Hill High School has good administrators and they would support me no matter what I decided. That meant a lot.”

Rollings attended Camden High School and graduated from Winthrop. His first job out of high school was at Castle Heights Middle School. He has coached football, track, wrestling and softball.

While still at Castle Heights in 1999, Rollings was brought over by Ringer to help coach football. He moved to Rock Hill High in 2000 and was an assistant boys basketball coach under Stevens before taking the girls job.

“I always wanted to be a head coach, and the girls job was my first opportunity,” Rollings said. “Once I started, I can't describe how much I enjoyed it. I am really going to miss being with them.

“But I have a set of goals, and with this I can meet another. I feel this move will help me down the road to meeting my ultimate goal of being an athletic director.”