\u201cOne thing is the culture,\u201d said Odom, who becomes the Lady Eagles\u2019 third coach in as many seasons. \u201cIt seems that at some point, everybody\u2019s just set with the way things are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy thing with the girls is, let\u2019s forget about everything that\u2019s happened in the past, let\u2019s look toward building up the future. Everything starts with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boyd, who succeeds Tommy Fox as both athletics director and boys basketball coach after spending the majority of his coaching career at Mt. Pleasant, echoed Odom\u2019s focal point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s going to be about trying to build a culture that we\u2019re going to fight, keep clawing and keep going until the last horn goes,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to establish a culture to work as hard as we can and get better every day, and hope that\u2019s good enough to get us over the hump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Competing in the same Division II-A District 3 with established programs such as Battle Ground Academy, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Franklin Road Academy and crosstown foe Columbia Academy \u2013 the boys two years removed from a state title \u2013 both Zion programs recognize they have an uphill climb that starts this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/sm-tnsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/IMG-8631.jpg?resize=474%2C356&ssl=1\")
\u201cI took it as a challenge,\u201d Odom said. \u201cThe girls are excited for the season. I\u2019m here to help them get better, I\u2019m here behind them to help them be the best they can be. I\u2019m a fundamental coach; that\u2019ll be my main focus, working on fundamentals and looking to build from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the challenge I love, the challenge I\u2019m willing to face head on. They want to learn, they want to get better, put the past in the past and leave it there. I want to help them get better and we\u2019re going to shock some people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both squads sustained significant losses from last season \u2013 the boys graduating Briggs Rutter, who fell just short of 2,000 career points before moving on to pursue a collegiate baseball career at Middle Tennessee State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an excitement like no other when you get to get back out on the floor, especially that first day,\u201d Boyd said. \u201cThe thing that might keep you from being real excited is most of the time you don\u2019t have everybody. I\u2019ve always allowed my football guys to have some days off. I\u2019ve always thought that was important at a small school. They just need that time to rest and be away for a little bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c(For us) a lot of those will be the key guys, that have played. There\u2019s some pieces, but we probably play in the toughest district there is.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Preseason basketball practice opens with new coaches at helm for Zion Christian<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":184945300,"featured_media":5025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Preseason basketball practice opens with new coaches at helm for Zion Christian","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[549219],"tags":[35890,549219,206722287],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/sm-tnsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/IMG-8642.jpg?fit=4032%2C3024&ssl=1","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbWF0s-1iZ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":504,"url":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/2020\/06\/10\/zion-christian-tabs-boyd-to-succeed-fox-as-new-ad\/","url_meta":{"origin":5021,"position":0},"title":"Zion Christian tabs Boyd to succeed Fox as new AD","date":"June 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Maurice Patton It may not be overstatement to call Derek Boyd a godsend for Rick Jarvis and Zion Christian Academy. Following Tommy Fox\u2019s resignation last month as athletics director, boys basketball coach and softball coach to accept the AD position at Wayne Christian School in Goldsboro, N.C., the search\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "high schools"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/sm-tnsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/zion.png?fit=480%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":841,"url":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/2020\/07\/10\/young-mathis-tabbed-to-lead-mt-pleasant-program\/","url_meta":{"origin":5021,"position":1},"title":"Young Mathis tabbed to lead Mt. Pleasant program","date":"July 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Set to graduate later this month from MTSU, Kennedy Mathis has been named baseball coach at Mt. 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Kilburn replaces Cheyanne Kyle as Lady\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "high schools"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sm-tnsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/img_6966.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":245,"url":"https:\/\/sm-tnsports.com\/2020\/05\/18\/fox-trot-leaves-openings-at-zion\/","url_meta":{"origin":5021,"position":3},"title":"Fox trot leaves openings at Zion","date":"May 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Maurice Patton One departure leaves Zion Christian Academy with three athletic staff vacancies. Tommy Fox, who has served as boys basketball coach, softball coach and athletics director at the school, has accepted similar roles at Wayne Christian School in Goldsboro, N.C. 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