WS Chronicle

Just about a year ago, Monty Gray accepted the girls basketball coaching position at Forsyth Country Day School (FCDS). After the departure of Howard West, who took the same position at West Forsyth High School, Gray will get his shot at coaching the boys at FCDS.

West had been the coach at FCDS for the past five seasons and replaces Rusty LaRue at West Forsyth. West has the third most coaching wins in the state of North Carolina with a record of 801-368. Gray will now get his opportunity to lead FCDS to the promised land.

“Going forward, I will strictly coach the boys, but I will be helping out with the girls as somewhat of an adviser,” said Gray. “The boys and girls coaches will collaborate as much as possible.”

Gray stated when coach West stepped down, the administration advised him they were interested in him taking over the position as boys head coach. He says when the smoke cleared, everything worked out in his favor and was named head coach.

Gray has coached boys in the past so he feels the transition from the girls to the boys’ team will not be difficult.

“My biggest thing was to be able to invest in the kids and the community and to have your players feel you are in it 100 percent,” he said. “I want to get that same feeling back from them and not try to reinvent the wheel but just do things the right way.”

The plan for Gray is to start with the underclassmen players and build a relationship with them along with trying to have other players from Forsyth County come in and “take advantage of the whole Forsyth Country Day experience.”

Gray says he is optimistic about the season ahead. He knows it will be a process building the program but is confident in his skill as a coach as well as the talent his players possess.

“I feel very good and it is early in the game but I feel good about the season to come,” Gray said. “I know we will play hard, play together and if we have the right pieces and the right people in place, we can get there.”

Gray acknowledged following in the shoes of such a legendary coach as West can add pressure on him. He says he will take it one day at a time and do the best he can.

“He is a legendary coach with 800 and the name that will come up when you talk about great coaches in North Carolina, so it’s some big shoes to fill,” Gray continued. “The thing about it is everyone knows it will be a process and I’m not trying to be Howard West. I just have to be Monty Gray, so at the end of the day, if I feel good where I’m at, then I can be at peace with that.”

Gray has three children who attend FCDS. His oldest son is looking to play on the FCDS junior varsity or varsity level. He says he didn’t want to coach his son, but when looking at the bigger picture it will allow him more time with his son.

Gray stated it does not matter which sex he is coaching at the time because he feels he is a “players coach.”

“What I try to offer any of my players, girls or guys, is to give them something I looked forward to as a player back in the day when I played,” he said. “I was hard on my girls and I will be hard on my guys, so I may have to tweek some things but overall my expectations will be very high and I always try to promote togetherness.”