New Mississippi Valley State basketball coach James Green says he doesn't have a problem with working with limited resources.
Green, the former coach at Southern Mississippi, will get his first taste of working at a small school in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, where the pay and exposure are less and where teams travel by bus, not plane.
"When they throw the ball up to start the game, you don't get any points for the extras. It's all about what's inside us. You can't put a figure on pride," said Green, 45, who posted a 123-109 record during his six-year tenure at USM.
"This is a new opportunity for me, a new challenge," Green said. "It's also a chance for me to get back into the gym and work with young people. I think it's perfect for me right now."
Terms of Green's contract have not been released, pending approval from the state College Board, MVSU athletic director Lonza Hardy said. But Green is expected to sign a three-year contract worth about $85,000 per year. According to the Clarion Ledger, that's about $115,000 less than he made as the coach at Southern Miss.
Green resigned at USM amidst growing uncertainty about his job security near the end of the 2003-2004 season. He did not coach during the 2004-05 season.
If Green is still the head coach at MVSU at the end of his original contract, he may see the birth of a new home for Valley basketball.
Hardy hopes construction of the proposed Wellness and Multi-Purpose Center will begin by 2008. According to school officials, the facility, which will seat up to 7,200 fans, has been in the works for seven years.
The school has secured $8 million of the $20 million needed for building costs, said Dr. Roy Hudson, vice president for university relations.
The Delta Devils currently play in the Harrison HPER Complex, which opened in 1975 and can hold 2,500 to 3,000 fans.
Hardy said the five coaches who interviewed for the basketball job were made aware of the plans for a new facility.
"But I can't say any of the candidates viewed it as a factor in their decision to pursue the job here," Hardy said.
Green said the proposed building was not a factor in his accepting the position.
