Watters stepping down as Clovis coach

Miles Watters, the state’s winningest girls prep basketball coach, has decided to retire after seven years of leading the Clovis Wildcats squad. Watters informed the school of his decision on Tuesday.

“It’s something I’ve been looking at for two or three years. My wife (Deborah) and I are both retiring right now, it just felt like the right time for us,” Watters said. “We just feel like the Lord has really blessed us and taken care of us. Both of our sons are graduating from college this year, so it’s just kind of putting an ending on situations in life and it’s time for us to be looking at some different options.”

Watters was the architect of a small-school hoops dynasty in Clayton, where he coached the Yellowjackettes to 11 Class 2A titles in a 14-year span between 1981 and 1994.

He eventually took a head coaching job at his college alma mater, Lubbock Christian University, for six years before becoming an assistant at Clovis High. In 2001, Watters succeeded Dale Severson as the Cats head coach.

The 2004-05 season was Watters’ crown jewel at Clovis as his team went 30-0 and won the Class 5A state championship.

“I think Clovis is in good hands and they’ve got some good players going in the future, but I just feel like this is the right time for us to change,” said Watters, 52, who also led the Wildcats to two other championship games during his tenure.

A win in December 2006 pushed Watters past his Clovis predecessor, Severson, on the all-time girls coaching victories list.

He finishes with an overall high school girls win-loss record of 526-105.

“I’m not saying I won’t ever coach again, because there’s a good chance that I might, but I might take a year’s sabbatical from it and kind of see what happens,” Watters said. “I’ve got 28 years in New Mexico, so I’ve got enough to draw a pension.

“We’ve been eligible for three years now and it’s something that, every spring, I look at.”

The Watters’ sons, Chase and Zac, will graduate from Texas universities this year — Chase with a graduate degree from Texas Tech and Zac with a bachelor’s degree from Abilene Christian. Miles Watters said he plans on staying in Clovis for the time being.

The 2007-08 season for Clovis ended with an 12-17 for the ‘Cats. It was the only losing season as a girls high school head coach for Watters, who started his career as a boys coach for two years in Sudan.

“In some ways, this was one of our most rewarding years because we had to work so hard for everything,” he said. “You felt good that the kids gave everything they had to stay in some games.”

At the state tournament in March, Watters and his 1983 state championship team from Clayton were honored at The Pit in Albuquerque. Scanning over the player and coaching records, readers could note Watters’ name several times — including at the top of the career win list.

“It’s kind of neat to look at that, but it’s certainly you never try to set a goal for. Things happen like that and it’s longevity more than anything.” Watters said.

Clovis Athletic Director Brian Stacy said Watters was a great teacher of the game.

“He helped (the program) tremendously, bringing over his knowledge of the game,” Stacy said. “Every year, he got a group of girls to mesh with each other and do what they needed to do. He brought out the best in each of them.”

Stacy said he hasn’t begun the search for Watters’ replacement yet.