FOOTBALL STAFF

James W. Gilbert

Head Varsity Football Coach

Quarterbacks & Inside Linebackers Coach

Coach Gilbert, a 1983 graduate of Fieldale-Collinsville High School, played football, basketball, and baseball. He received the Dr. Camden Memorial Award for athletic and academic achievement in 1982-1983. He graduated from Guilford College in 1987, receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting while playing baseball. He presently teaches Mathematics at Bassett High School and in his 20^th year of coaching high school football. He is in his 5^th year as the Head Football Coach at Bassett. His other coaching experiences include 11 years in basketball, 8 as head coach at the community college level, 13 years in baseball with 4 as a head coach. He is married to Wendy and has two children, Cierra Nicole and Jacob William.

Brian Hill

Email me: bhill@henry.k12.va.us

Offensive Coordinator

Receivers & Defensive Backs Coach

Brian Hill graduated from Laurel Park High School in 1985 where he played football and was All-District & All-Region Defensive Back for two years. He attended Lee University and graduated in 1990 with a degree in Health and Physical Education. He has been a Girl’s soccer head coach for 5 years at Laurel Park High, 5 years at Fieldale-Collinsville High, and 1 year at Bassett High. He has also served as Head JV Football Coach for 2 years at Laurel Park High, Varsity Assistant for 7 years at Laurel Park High and 4 years at Fieldale-Collinsville High. He returns to the Bassett Staff for his 4^th year. He will be coaching Receivers and Defensive Backs. Teaching duties include Health and Physical Education 10/Driver’s Education and Physical Training. Coach Hill and his wife, Kim, have two children, Tristan – 11 and Taylor – 9.

Bill Parks

Email me: wparks@henry.k12.va.us

Defensive Coordinator

Offensive & Defensive Line Coach

Coach Parks is a 1984 graduate of Fieldale-Collinsville High School where he played football, basketball, and baseball. He is a 1989 graduate of Radford University where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management while playing baseball. He is an Alternative Education teacher at the Center for Community Learning (CCL). Coach Parks was an assistant football coach at Laurel Park for 4 years where he was the J.V. head coach for 2 years and spent 2 years as the defensive coordinator and special team coach. He also has 13 years experience coaching baseball with 10 as a head coach (7 at Bassett), 8 years as a varsity assistant and head J.V. basketball coach, and 5 years as an assistant softball coach. Coach Parks will also be the Head Baseball Coach for the Bengals this spring. He and his wife, Rachel, have one child, Kailynn Michelle – 8.

Jay Joyce

Email me: forthcoming

Special Teams Coordinator

Running Backs and Corners Coach

Jay Joyce is a 1982 graduate of Fieldale-Collinsville High School where he played Football, Basketball, and Baseball. He enlisted the Unites States Army and upon completion of his time in the military, attended Ferrum College where he played football. Jay has 9 years of experience coaching football, basketball, softball, and baseball. He has held head coaching positions in basketball at the community college level and in baseball at the high school level. He is married to Cara and they have two daughters, Jordan and Caylee.

Russell Wilder

Email me: rwilder@henry.k12.va.us

Assistant Coach for Junior Varsity and Varsity

Offensive Line and Outside Linebackers Coach

After twenty-five years in the army CSM Wilder is entering his fifth year at Bassett and second year with the Bengal Football Program. He is originally from Melbourne, Florida where he played football and wrestled in high school. He graduated from the University of Colorado in 2005 with a degree in Social Sciences and now teaches JROTC at Bassett High School. Coach Wilder lives in Fieldale and is married to Monica Wilder. He also has seven children and seven grandchildren.

Larry Wylie

Email me: forthcoming

Head Junior Varsity Coach

Coach Wylie is a 1989 graduate of John Yeates High School in Suffolk, Virginia where he played football, baseball, and soccer. He graduated from Longwood College in 1994 where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education and played soccer. Coach Wylie has taught and coached at Churchland High School in Portsmouth since 1999. He has 5 years coaching experience in Football, 4 years in Cross Country, and 10 years in Soccer.

Michael McCormick

Email me: forthcoming

Assistant Coach for Junior Varsity

Mike McCormick is in his first year at Bassett High School where he teaches English. Mike is a 1999 graduate of Fenton High School in Fenton, Michigan and a 2007 graduate of Baker College in Flint, Michigan. He received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Secondary Education with Summa Cum Laude honors.

Thomas Bruce

Email me: brucegang@comcast.net

Assistant Varsity Coach

Running Backs and Linebackers Coach

Tommy Bruce finished high school at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia in 1985. He played football and wrestled. After school, he enlisted in the United States Armed Forces where he served for 3 ½ years. He now lives in Bassett with his wife, Donna and two daughters, Adrienne – 21 and Kaitlin – 18.

Tim Gary

Email me: thgarys@embarq.com

Assistant Varsity Coach

Offensive and Defensive Line Coach

Coach Gary is a 1993 graduate of Hampton High School in Hampton Virginia, where he wrestled and played football. He was an All-District Center for two years. He attended and played football at UVA-Wise. He has been employed with the Martinsville City Sheriff’s Department for eight years, where he is a Corporal. Coach Gary will be assisting with the Offensive and Defensive Lines. He and his wife, Sandy has two children, Mason – 9 and Taylor Jo – 5. His son, Mason is returning for his third year as Bassett’s ball boy.

Hugh Tucker

Hugh Tucker is a graduate of William Byrd High School and received his B.S. Degree from Carson Newman College. He lettered in football at both schools. Hugh has coached football for 30 years with 29 of those years at either Bassett or Fieldale-Collinsville High Schools. He has two sons, Paul and Clif.

David Deel

David Deel is married to Mary Louise (a college classmate). They have two children, Geneva and Andy. They have two grandchildren who live in Utah. Coach Deel graduated from Grundy High School and has a B.S. in math from Emory and Henry, a MA in Physics from the University of Northern Iowa. Coach Deel coached outdoor track 16 years, boys indoor track for 25 years, girls indoor track 9 years, and football for 43 years. In track, boys and girls combined, he coached 14 district championship teams and 3 regional championship teams. He coached athletes who won 15 individual state titles. He has been retired from teaching several years, but has remained active in coaching. He now officiates track and field at the high school and college level. In his spare time, he fishes, gardens, plays the banjo, and golfs with a ?.

Joe Haynes

Joe is a 1997 graduate of Bassett High School where he played football and baseball. He works Firefighter/EMT at the City of Martinsville and Brad’s Carpet Care reconstructing fire and water damaged homes. He is married to April Haynes and they have one 3 year old son, Luke. They are expecting a little girl in late November. Joe and his family attend church at The Community Fellowship in Collinsville.

Eric Brown

Eric is a 1976 graduate of Drewry Mason High School. While there, he participated in football, wrestling, and baseball. He is a single dad with a beautiful 14 year old daughter named Chelsea. He wishes to thank Coach Gilbert and the administration of Bassett High School for the opportunity to volunteer with the team.