It was 2014 when then-Tharptown High School senior Kamri Sears signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Wallace State Community College.
Nine years later, now Kamri Fleming, she is taking the reins of the very program she excelled in as a student.
The Franklin County Board of Education approved Fleming's hiring as Tharptown girls varsity basketball coach at its May 16, 2023, meeting.
Fleming, a self-contained special education teacher, has coached volleyball and softball since she was hired in 2020. She'll continue her volleyball coaching duties, but she resigned as softball coach due to taking over the basketball program.
Fleming inherits a young team with only three returning players from this year's squad, only one of whom was a starter. Among the senior basketball players graduating from Tharptown this week is Sarah Mansell. Mansell became the second girls' player at Tharptown to earn a basketball scholarship when she committed to Blue Mountain College recently.
Fleming, a 2014 Class 1A Honorable Mention All-State honoree, played on the Tharptown varsity for five seasons. Her father Wayne was an outstanding high school basketball player at Russellville High School. He continued his playing career at Northeast Mississippi Community College.
For Fleming, the basketball court was a foundation of her childhood, so it was a natural evolution that she developed into a standout player who scored more than 1,700 points in her varsity career.
“With my dad and cousins, we always had that connection to basketball,” Fleming said. “When I was little, we would always play basketball when we'd go to my grandmother's. It's always been very relevant in my life and has continued into my adult life.
“When I came home from school, I helped Blair Woods at Muscle Shoals. I coached junior high there, then I coached at Hatton High School. Basketball is something I've always done. I didn't coach the last two years, but I was a high school basketball official, so I stayed connected with the game,” she added.
Tharptown High School Principal Bart Moss said he's excited to have teachers and coaches who graduated from Tharptown. In addition to Fleming, Kaitlyn Vandiver, a Tharptown teacher and coach, is also a THS grad.
“With Kamri, it's a testament to the growth of our school to finally get some Tharptown graduates coming back here to continue in the classroom, in the field and on the court,” Moss said.
“She brings a lot to the basketball program, including excitement and energy. She was a part of this program and they were very successful, so I'm excited to see her now leading our girls' basketball program,” Moss added.
During Fleming's career as a Wildcat, the girls' varsity had a three-year run of area championships that included a 30-0 record against area opponents in the regular season and post-season. But it took time for the program to reach that level of success.
“When I first started playing varsity basketball, we were kind of like where we are now,” Fleming said. “It's a building process and it takes time. I started in the eighth grade and we really didn't see that success until my 10th grade season. It is possible to get there. You've got to put in the work, the effort and the time.”
As Fleming goes from officiating high school games to walking the sidelines as coach, she won't forget the difficult job the men and women in the striped shirts have.
“I'll definitely have more patience with them since I've been in their shoes,” Fleming said. “As officials, you don't see everything happening. You're not officiating the whole game. You're watching zones and the part of the floor you're assigned to watch.
“It's interesting to go into next year as coach. I've been on all three sides on the floor—as a player, an official and now a head coach,” Fleming added.
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