Lady “Cats’” Coach, Herb Horton, Hangs Up Whistle

For 24 years the Gilmer High School Lady Bobcats basketball team has heralded Herb Horton as its leader. The 2012-13’ season was his last, as Horton has decided to hang up the whistle and retire from coaching high school basketball.Horton, a University of Tennessee graduate, ends a 34 year career as a basketball coach. Horton cited more family time as the main reason for his retirement.

He recently sat down with FYN for an exclusive interview about his long an illustrious coaching career. He spoke about the different definitions of success as well as the balances between winning on the court and winning with the young people’s themselves.

Horton also spoke of how the world has changed during his time as a coach, but how “kids are kids” despite there being more obstacles and distractions in the world when he first began his coaching career.

Horton’s record at Gilmer was 368-227. He won the Region Coach of the year three times. Horton’s Lady “Cats” reached the state tournament eight times; won four Sub-Region titles, and three Region titles. Under Horton’s tutelage Gilmer had three top 10 final poll finishes.
In 81′ the Lady “Cats” finished eighth; ninth in 89′; and fifth in 92′ when Gilmer reached the “Final Four.”