Robbinsville – What was supposed to be a temporary gig turned into one of the longest coaching tenures in Lady Knights basketball history.
Announced as the new Robbinsville High School athletic director and head football coach Feb. 6, Lucas Ford knew that before life got too chaotic, he needed to take off at least one of the hats he was wearing.
He formally resigned as head coach of the girls basketball program Feb. 26, ending a stint that began when the Knights were left without any leadership as summer workouts approached prior to the 2017-18 season.
"It was never on my career path to be a girls coach of any kind," Ford chuckled. "I didn't know what to expect, but I couldn't have asked for a smoother first year with a girls team.
"I'm very proud of what the last eight years have brought – not just for the program, but for me. I've grown professionally, I've grown as a person and as a dad. Coaching girls basketball has made me a better dad. My wife and I are so eternally grateful to all the girls, because they've all helped raise my kids."
Ford coached 215 games for Robbinsville's varsity girls; the Lady Knights won 140 of them (65.1%).
Under his watch, Robbinsville made the postseason every year and never finished under .500.
The Knights also captured the Smoky Mountain Conference title in 2020-21, finishing the season 15-2 and reaching the sectional finals (Elite 8).
He had memories to reflect on from each of the campaigns, but the 2022-23 run was most prevalent. The team went 21-9, making what many thought was an improbable run to the state semifinals (fifth round), after finishing second both the regular-season standings and the divisional tournament.
"You could progressively see us get better and better," Ford explained. "We got in the playoffs and were playing great basketball at the right time. The whole postseason, our motto was, 'No excuses.'"
Ironically enough, Ford will now be tasked with filling the role he vacated. The position was posted for application the day after he resigned.
"We're going to get a great girls basketball coach here," Ford stated. "I'll do it myself again before it goes to somebody that puts less time into it than I did. That's how much the program means to me, my family and the people that's been involved in it.
"The program is in a really good place right now, with some really good talent coming. I feel like there's an established mindset about what the expectation is: conference titles and state-championship runs. Those are the gold standards that these girls have set."