CARY When first-year Wake Forest-Rolesville boys basketball coach Mickey Bissette took over, he thought he'd have to do a lot more encouraging. No current Cougars player, after all, has ever played in a postseason game.
But instead, Bissette has found himself with a team who hasn't stopped trying for him.
After Deran Coe, athletic director at Wake Forest-Rolesville, confirmed this morning that he had hired Mickey Bissette as his new basketball coach, we broke the story for you online here. At the time we were unable to reach Bissette for comment since he was attending the N.C. Coaches Association clinic in Greensboro.
Later today we did get Bissette on the phone discuss his decision to leave Green Hope and return to coaching at WF-R. Below are a few of Bissette’s answers to questions for a story that will appear in tomorrow’s News & Observer and online at newobserver.com:
What led you back to coaching?
Wake Forest-Rolesville has named Mickey Bissette its new boys basketball coach. Deran Coe, the athletic director at WF-R, confirmed the school’s decision Monday morning.
Bissette, who led Green Hope as its athletic director for four years, resigned from the position Tuesday after having several interviews with Coe for the WF-R coaching job. Bissette will now have the responsibility of coaching the Cougars, a young team that is expected to improve with most of its players returning.
“I know he has some strong ideas on what he wants to do with this program,” Coe said. “We’re excited to have him and I know he’ll do a great job.”
Known for being a successful basketball coach, Bissette did not coach the Falcons last season to have more time to commit to his athletic director duties. He was Green Hope’s first boys basketball coach and led the program for 11 seasons. Bissette took the Falcons to seven consecutive playoff appearances from 2003-2009. He became the athletic director in 2006.
“When the [last] season started, I didn't really think it was that bad," Bissette said of not coaching when reached for comment Tuesday. "Then when the games started, it got really tough and it was one of those things where you're like 'I really am missing this.’ ”
During their talks, Bissette expressed to Coe his desire to coach again.
“I think he just missed it,” Coe said. “I think when you’re a coach at heart you want to be with the kids and have that direct impact on them.”
Mickey Bissette, who has overseen one of the state's most successful high school athletics departments, has officially resigned from his post as Green Hope athletics director to pursue other opportunities.
Bissette had been at Green Hope since the school opened in 1999 but will not return in any capacity next year.
"It's a difficult decision to make, but sometimes change can be good," Bissette said. "Hopefully this can be good for everybody."
Green Hope athletics director Mickey Bissette will not return as boys basketball coach next year. Bissette had served at both positions since the school opened 11 years ago.
As the Falcons basketball coach Bissette had led the school to seven straight NCHSAA playoff appearances from 2003-2009. Bissette said he plans on returning to the classroom as a math teacher, but juggling the duties of AD, coach and teacher wasn't something he wanted to try.
