Hargett Set For Induction In UNC-Greensboro Hall Of Fame
Phil Hicks
Larry Hargett is not one to stay idle.
The Chandler resident retired in June after 38 years of teaching and coaching. Only he didn't stay retired long as he is now in private business.
His desire to be busy has led him to a lifetime of achievement in sports and teaching.
Hargett's hard work will be awarded in February when he will be inducted into the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Athletic Hall of Fame.
His induction is part of the celebration of 40 years of Spartan athletics.
The Chandler resident retired in June after 38 years of teaching and coaching. Only he didn't stay retired long as he is now in private business.
His desire to be busy has led him to a lifetime of achievement in sports and teaching.
Hargett's hard work will be awarded in February when he will be inducted into the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Athletic Hall of Fame.
His induction is part of the celebration of 40 years of Spartan athletics.
(Staff Photo By Tom Turner)
LARRY HARGETT: The East Texas resident will be inducted into the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
Hargett was the first coach to lead UNCG men's basketball to success. Taking over a program in 1978 that had only recorded double-digit wins twice in its first 11 seasons and amassed only 72 wins during that time, Hargett needed just two seasons to turn the Spartans around and lead the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid.
In 1979-80, UNCG went 16-12 overall and 11-3 in the Dixie Conference, led by David Whiteside's 17.8 points per game. Finishing second in the Dixie Conference in the regular season, Hargett's Spartans beat neighboring Greensboro College in the opener and then won back-to-back one-point thrillers over North Carolina Wesleyan and Christopher Newport to win the conference title.
"It's really a thrill," Hargett said. "It is really special to be included."
Hargett's success at UNCG should come as no surprise considering his success before taking the collegiate job.
After attending Stephen F. Austin State University, he began coaching. After coaching in Brownsboro and the Houston school system, he became coach at Houston Strake Jesuit High School.
That's when his wildly successful basketball coaching career took off. He led Strake Jesuit to Texas Christian Interscholastic League state championships in 1976 and 1977. He was voted Private School Coach of the Year those two seasons. Bill McShane, who went on to play on the Oregon State No. 1-ranked team in 1980-81, was a star on the squad.
Then he went to the public schools, where he led Cypress Fairbanks to the 1978 state semifinals.
That season he was voted the Texas High School Basketball Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. The collegiate winner that season was Abe Lemons of the University of Texas.
His achievements at the prep level caught the eye of the UNCG athletic director. He then coached men's basketball and women's tennis in the Tar Heel State.
"As you know, anything in college athletics is about recruiting," he said. "When I got there, I actually over-recruited and I had the Fab 17."
It was quite a bit of players for a basketball squad. Hargett said the group still remains close. They reside all the way up and down the East coast from Boston to Key West, Fla. He said he e-mails many of them on a weekly basis.
"It was a good group," Hargett said. "We played a tough non-conference schedule. We were non-scholarship in Division III and I played four or five Division Is each year to help the athletic budget."
His overall record at UNCG was 55-44, but against Division III schools he had a mark of 37-8.
Not only did his hoop teams fare well, but his tennis squads achieved high finishes at the NCAA tournament.
Following four years at UNCG, Hargett became assistant coach at Baylor University.
He was assistant coach under Jim Haller and helped the Bears garner a top 10 recruiting class in 1984.
"We had a pretty good team at Baylor," Hargett said. "It was during that era of the Southwest Conference when Houston had the Phi Slama Jama and Hakeem Olajuwon. Then there was Arkansas, SMU ... We were good, but we finished sixth, sixth and eighth."
Michael Williams was on the team, who later went on to hit 109 consecutive free throws in the NBA.
After Haller lost his job at Baylor, Hargett was at a low point.
"When I was leaving Baylor, I found Christ," he said. "I became a Christian and I found my direction. He helps me keep focused. If you keep your eyes on Him, you can do all things."
That's when he coached at Arlington Lamar for six years and then taught at a high school for at-risk students, something he called one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.
While he was teaching, he had a basketball shooting school for 50 kids a week for two years.
He then led Team Texas, a girls 13-15 age basketball team, to second in the nation at the BCIS Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo.
After a couple of years coaching at Burleson, he became the golf coach at Fort Bend George H.W. Bush High School. That's where he met his wife, Kathy.
Then they decided to move back to East Texas. They settled in Chandler, but will soon be moving to Hideaway.
He then taught at Van High School, leading the Lady Vandals to the state basketball playoffs and the golf team to regionals.
Then it was time to retire. Well, not just yet.
In 1979-80, UNCG went 16-12 overall and 11-3 in the Dixie Conference, led by David Whiteside's 17.8 points per game. Finishing second in the Dixie Conference in the regular season, Hargett's Spartans beat neighboring Greensboro College in the opener and then won back-to-back one-point thrillers over North Carolina Wesleyan and Christopher Newport to win the conference title.
"It's really a thrill," Hargett said. "It is really special to be included."
Hargett's success at UNCG should come as no surprise considering his success before taking the collegiate job.
After attending Stephen F. Austin State University, he began coaching. After coaching in Brownsboro and the Houston school system, he became coach at Houston Strake Jesuit High School.
That's when his wildly successful basketball coaching career took off. He led Strake Jesuit to Texas Christian Interscholastic League state championships in 1976 and 1977. He was voted Private School Coach of the Year those two seasons. Bill McShane, who went on to play on the Oregon State No. 1-ranked team in 1980-81, was a star on the squad.
Then he went to the public schools, where he led Cypress Fairbanks to the 1978 state semifinals.
That season he was voted the Texas High School Basketball Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. The collegiate winner that season was Abe Lemons of the University of Texas.
His achievements at the prep level caught the eye of the UNCG athletic director. He then coached men's basketball and women's tennis in the Tar Heel State.
"As you know, anything in college athletics is about recruiting," he said. "When I got there, I actually over-recruited and I had the Fab 17."
It was quite a bit of players for a basketball squad. Hargett said the group still remains close. They reside all the way up and down the East coast from Boston to Key West, Fla. He said he e-mails many of them on a weekly basis.
"It was a good group," Hargett said. "We played a tough non-conference schedule. We were non-scholarship in Division III and I played four or five Division Is each year to help the athletic budget."
His overall record at UNCG was 55-44, but against Division III schools he had a mark of 37-8.
Not only did his hoop teams fare well, but his tennis squads achieved high finishes at the NCAA tournament.
Following four years at UNCG, Hargett became assistant coach at Baylor University.
He was assistant coach under Jim Haller and helped the Bears garner a top 10 recruiting class in 1984.
"We had a pretty good team at Baylor," Hargett said. "It was during that era of the Southwest Conference when Houston had the Phi Slama Jama and Hakeem Olajuwon. Then there was Arkansas, SMU ... We were good, but we finished sixth, sixth and eighth."
Michael Williams was on the team, who later went on to hit 109 consecutive free throws in the NBA.
After Haller lost his job at Baylor, Hargett was at a low point.
"When I was leaving Baylor, I found Christ," he said. "I became a Christian and I found my direction. He helps me keep focused. If you keep your eyes on Him, you can do all things."
That's when he coached at Arlington Lamar for six years and then taught at a high school for at-risk students, something he called one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.
While he was teaching, he had a basketball shooting school for 50 kids a week for two years.
He then led Team Texas, a girls 13-15 age basketball team, to second in the nation at the BCIS Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo.
After a couple of years coaching at Burleson, he became the golf coach at Fort Bend George H.W. Bush High School. That's where he met his wife, Kathy.
Then they decided to move back to East Texas. They settled in Chandler, but will soon be moving to Hideaway.
He then taught at Van High School, leading the Lady Vandals to the state basketball playoffs and the golf team to regionals.
Then it was time to retire. Well, not just yet.
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