Billy Vaughn has been coaching Enterprise basketball for 18years. Over that period of time he has learned how to prepare dailypractice for his teams and how to enjoy the game, win or lose.

Vaughn’s 2001-02 teams were a joy to coach. His Enterprise girlsfinished 18-3 and his boys finished 16-5, giving Vaughn a combinedrecord of 34-8.

For his accomplishments, Vaughn has been selected The DailyLeader’s Boys Coach of the Year on the All-Lincoln Basketball Team.Vaughn’s boys lost a 4-point decision to Dexter, the eventual Class1A State Tournament runner-up, in the opening round of the SouthMississippi playoffs at Tylertown.

“This award is more for the team than me,” said Vaughn. “Ifeel fortunate to get it. Our seniors played each game hard. It wasfun in practice, too.”

Vaughn, 42, is a 1978 graduate of Loyd Star where he playedguard on the basketball team. He attended Copiah-Lincoln CommunityCollege and graduated from Mississippi State University with adegree in physical education and health.

For the past two seasons, Vaughn has been coaching the boysand girls teams at Enterprise. He had coached the girls exclusivelyfor 16 years.

“It hasn’t been as difficult as I expected,” said Vaughn,referring to his double duty. “Our players began to understandtheir roles. They understood what it takes to besuccessful.”

Vaughn rewarded his players with a trip to Atlanta this weekto see the Hawks play the New Jersey Nets in an NBA game. “Thesekids are well disciplined and they don’t give you any trouble whenyou go on bus trips.”

Vaughn loses seven seniors off his boys team and five offhis girls team to graduation. “They are a special group.”

A dedicated basketball statistician, Vaughn keeps in-depthstatistics on each of his players. He often reviews game films thesame night as the games.

As a senior in high school, Vaughn played for Wendell Reddat Loyd Star. Much of Vaughn’s coaching philosophy was formed byRedd. “He showed me that hard work and commitment getresults.”

Vaughn played baseball for Ricky Smith at Loyd Star. “Heshowed me that you can have fun and still win baseballgames.”

According to Vaughn he prefers playing man-to-man defense.Offense is dictated by the type defense other teamsemploy.

Since he began coaching 18 years ago, Vaughn has seen manychanges in the game. “The boys are much stronger than what theyused to be. Kids don’t spend as much time on fundamental shootingas they used to do.”

He teaches Mississippi social studies, geography andphysical education at Enterprise.

Married to the former Nancy Finison of Jackson, Vaughn andhis wife have two children, 14-year-old Brandi and 11-year-oldEmily. Once an avid softball player, he now spends most of his freetime with his family.

An active member of Macedonia Baptist Church, Vaughn alsoserves as Huddle Leader for the Enterprise Chapter of theFellowship of Christian Athletes. In his spare time, he works withyouth groups at Macedonia and makes church mission trips eachsummer.