Bladen County native Rick Rhoda has been named the new women’s basketball coach at West Bladen High School replacing Pam Stephens who retired from the position following the 2015 season.
For Coach Rhoda the selection culminated a lifelong dream of being able to return to Bladen County and work with young people.
Rhoda was a 1985 graduate of East Bladen High where he played varsity basketball under the tutelage of Coach Sam Boger and junior varsity basketball for Coach Sylvester McMillian.
Coach Rhoda then went on to earn his undergraduate degree from North Carolina A & T University in Greensboro and later received his Masters from Ashford University.
A 20-year career working in technology followed as Rhoda worked in Greensboro, Atlanta, GA and Charlotte. “I always wanted to come back to Bladen County and I always wanted to make a difference with young people,” he said.
Coach Rhoda returned to the county a few years ago and coached basketball and baseball at Tar Heel Middle School. He is now a business teacher at West Bladen and served as the junior varsity baseball coach for the Knights in 2015.
As for the upcoming basketball season, Coach Rhoda shares that he is really excited. “The girls worked hard during the summer work-outs and are adjusting well to a new system. They are extremely coachable and are learning a lot of new stuff. I am enjoying working with them.”
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