Lane Young is the new basketball coach at West Lincoln. He willcoach the girls and boys varsity teams plus the junior high girls.He replaces Andy Smithie who resigned after one year at thehelm.

Randy Laird will continue serving as varsity boys and girlsassistant coach plus heading the junior high boys program.

“Lane is young and energetic,” said West Lincoln principal JasonCase. “I have worked with him at summer basketball camps and he hasa god rapport with the kids. He has a strong knowledge of the game.He grew up in it.”

Young has coached varsity basketball at Wesson for three years.He will teach junior high science at West Lincoln.

Young, 26, is a 1994 graduate of Wesson High School. He attendedCopiah-Lincoln Community College for two years and then transferredto Southern Miss where he obtained a degree in science and humanperformance.

Young was a volunteer assistant at Co-Lin during his senior yearat USM. He began coaching at Wesson in 1999. He coached slowpitchsoftball and girls basketball for two years. He also worked as avolunteer assistant to his father, Co-Lin women’s coach Gwyn Young,last season.

“I’m excited to be coaching at West Lincoln,” said Young. “Theyhave a lot of tradition. I know Coach Case did a good job with themand so did Coach Smithie. There are some big shoes to fill.”

Case, in his first year as principal at West Lincoln, coachedthe Bears for 10 years, replacing his father, Jack Case. Thegymnasium in named in honor of the elder Case who won back-to-backboys state tournament championships in 1981-82 when his son starredat guard for the Bears.

Young is married to the former Audrey Monroe of Brookhaven.Young’s mother (Velesta Smith Young) and father graduated from WestLincoln. His grandfather, L.G. Young, served as principal at WestLincoln in the 1960s and early 70s.