It has been a whirlwind of a week for new Paris boys basketball coach, Josh Ferrell. Immediately after being hired by the Paris school board as its next boys basketball coach, Ferrell was in Paris the very next day, meeting and practicing with his new team. Ferrell told Resident Press that the team, “had 100% attendance; that all 17 players had reported and participated in the team’s first workout under their new coach.” So, as most people know by now, former Eagles coach Blain Brewington submitted his resignation to become the new head coach at Bartlett High School in Memphis. Not wasting any time, the Paris school district took action to quickly secure its next head coach, and Josh Ferrell of Caddo Hills High School in Norman, Arkansas, was hired as the Eagles’ new coach.
Josh Ferrell is no stranger to success, both on and off the court. Josh was heavily influenced by his family who were heavily involved in basketball and public education for his entire childhood. Josh’s father, David, is currently the head basketball coach and athletic director at The New School in Fayetteville. Before that, he was the head coach at West Fork high school for all of Josh’s childhood, including his years as a high school basketball player for the Tigers. Josh grew up as a “gym rat”, hanging around the sport, spending countless hours around players and coaches, and playing and working out in the gym for many hours each day, perfecting the skills that would make him an outstanding high school, and later on, college basketball player. And that career later extended into the start of a successful coaching career at Caddo Hills in Norman. But as fate would have it, father and son would meet in the first round of the state tournament. A meeting of destiny for both father and son, and for their teams and schools who were both focused on winning in the state tournament. In this epic match-up, it was the son, Josh Ferrell, defeating his father’s team from Fayetteville.
Earlier tonight, I had the opportunity to visit with Josh’s dad and former coach, David Ferrell. I asked him about the infamous meeting between the two schools last year in the state playoffs. And frankly, I expected to hear something along the lines of all the cliches and expressions that you commonly hear about father-son relationships and coaching. But from Coach Ferrell’s comments, it was nothing short of being an awkward moment for he and Josh. Coach Ferrell, speaking of the game against his son’s team, said, “It wasn’t any fun. It was zero fun playing him. We kind of saw it coming, but, we couldn’t avoid it. From a dad’s standpoint, you want nothing but the best for him, but, if my team did good, it would hurt him. It was the weirdest moment of my 35 years of coaching. You just couldn’t win.” I asked Coach what he could tell me, without disclosing anything deeply private or personal, that the two talked about when they embraced each other after Josh’s team defeated his father’s team in the playoffs. Coach Ferrell said, “It was just a weird moment for both of us. I don’t think he knew what to say, and I did not know what to say. We were dreading it (the match up), but, looking back, I think we both feel like it was a cool moment. But at the time, it was just an awkward moment for both of us.”
Josh Ferrell grew up as a “gym rat” under his father’s influence and in the world of coaching and basketball. Coach Ferrell, again, speaking of his son Josh, said, “My father was a coach and later went into administration. And then my wife’s father coached basketball at West Fork and then was superintendent of schools for 30 years. Josh basically grew up “on the bench” since he could walk. He went with me, and on all the bus rides, and I could tell you a million stories about the bus rides and him growing up. He basically learned how to count off of the scoreboard. He just lived in the gym. Basketball has always been a common denominator with us because he loved it (basketball). Countless hours of his growing up was spent in the gym, working out on his own.”
After a stellar career playing for his father at West Fork, Josh went on to the University of the Ozarks where he made an immediate impact with the Eagles. The conference named him as the Freshman of the Year in his first year at U of O. He played all four years and was known as a tenacious guard who could run, shoot, and score at will. On defense, he was known for his intense, full-court defense and ability to create defensive turnovers with multiple steals throughout a game.
When I asked Josh about what attracted him to Paris, the new Eagles coach indicated that he had spoken to several coaches who were familiar with the basketball program at Paris. Josh said that the overwhelming response from other coaches was that it (Paris) is a good school district with great fan support, and great athletes.
But somewhat concerning to Eagles fans is the fact that Ferrell will be he third coach in three years for the boys basketball program. When I asked him if that was concerning to him when he contemplated the Paris offer, he said, “I am familiar with being in this position. When I took the Caddo Hills job, I was the fifth coach in five years. So I know how to handle this type of situation.” Eagles fans are hoping that Ferrell will be in Paris for many successful years to come.
Ferrell will be the beneficiary of several Paris players who received significant playing time as underclassmen throughout the 2020-21 season. Many of those players are returning and are currently playing on summer club teams throughout the state and region. When the new coach called practice on his first day, all 17 returning players answered the call. Coach has been impressed with the work ethic and the quality of the players, saying they “work extremely hard and are yes sir, no sir kids.” And that work ethic will be an asset for the Eagles under their new coach who will install a system of intense defensive pressure and a fast-paced offense that will run more than they have in the past few years. The Eagles are an athletic, and now, experienced group that should adapt well to Coach Ferrell’s system.
On behalf of Resident Press, I would like to welcome Josh Ferrell and his wife Ashton to Paris! We wish him nothing but the best of success as coach of the boys basketball program at Paris. And Eagles fans, I think this is a very big hire for Paris, and I also believe next season has a lot of potential for great success and a possible run in the post-season playoffs. If the Eagles play the way their new coach has played and coached in the past, Paris will be an exciting team to watch this coming winter! And once again, Resident Press will be here to bring you all of the action!
