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Kevin Lugo talks to his Palatka Junior-Senior High School volleyball team in a timeout last Sept.
30 during a match against Bradford.
Lugos Panthers went 24-0 last season.
(MARK BLUMENTHAL / Palatka Daily News) Can a highly successful coach at the lower levels prove what works there works on the varsity level? The Great Experiment has begun for Kevin Lugo.
A success for the last few years as a volleyball and boys basketball coach at the junior varsity levels, Lugo was named as the new Palatka Junior-Senior High School girls basketball coach last week by athletic director Bobby Raulerson after the resignation of Jonell Williams to further her career as a physical therapist, where she earned her doctorate at the Florida A&M University.
As a matter of fact, Lugo said it was Williams who gave Raulerson the recommendation for the job, seeing what he had done as the JV boys basketball coach.
It came at a time where Lugo had stepped away from being an assistant coach for both programs and was looking to go in a different direction.
I did everything by the book when I stepped away from boys basketball, said Lugo, who turns 36 next month.
I reached out to Raulerson, (principal Michael) Chaires and (boys basketball head coach Jason) Pitts.
I was going to take a break because I was doing a lot of the coaching stuff around the school.
I stepped back and kinda waited my turn and waited for a program to open up (a head coaching position).
Then coach Jonell stopped by the school to pick up something and where Im in the front office (working as an administrative receptionist).
She said, Oh, youre not coaching next year? and I told her I was doing nothing, then she said, Oh no, youre coaching.
Then a few weeks later, she called me and asked, You sure youre not going to coach? And Im like, Im positive.
Then she said, I dont think anyone else can do a program better than you.
I think (the girls basketball program) would be in good hands if I recommended you to Raulerson.
Basically, I was waiting for this to be a head coach.
She said, I admire what you do with the boys, the way you handled everything, and the work you did with volleyball.
Whatever youre doing is working.
I am more than ready to do this, Lugo added.
Even though I was an assistant, I was the only assistant on campus for both volleyball and boys basketball.
When this opportunity came up, I said, Why not? My accolades are out there, so why not give it a try? I feel like this is nothing different from what Ive been doing.
Williams, one of Palatkas all-time legendary basketball players, was a four-time Daily News Girls Basketball Player of the Year (2012-15) and daughter of legendary football player John L Williams.
After her college playing days were over, she came back to Palatka as an assistant coach and took over as the Panthers head coach in January 2024 after Craig Washington was let go from the position after an incident that took place at the Jarvis Williams Holiday Tournament the previous month.
The Panthers went 36-40 in her time as head coach.
The Panthers have not made the state girls basketball tournament since Williams senior season of 2015.
Lugo, though, has had the hot hand as a highly touted assistant.
Last fall, the JV volleyball team went 24-0 under Lugo and won a postseason tournament, while the JV boys basketball team finished 18-2 under him with losses to Bradford and Jacksonville Eagles View.
When I took the job, it was a no-brainer, Lugo said of taking the girls basketball head coaching position.
Lugo had a total of three years as an assistant in both volleyball and boys basketball.
With what Ive done with the volleyball and the boys basketball, Im going to transition everything Ive done for both of the sports.
When I was an assistant coach to (former head volleyball coach Robert) Bush, I was the one who introduced the varsity girls into strength and conditioning because theres a lot of running.
But the biggest thing I tell the younger athletes is the biggest mistake they make is being afraid of making a mistake.
That sticks to them.
Its just confidence.
A lot of them lack that confidence, but Im their No.
1 fan.
Its the thing Ive been showing the boys you have nobody out there, no friends, no parents.
Im going to be their No.
1 fan.
Im going to give them their confidence and every tool they need to make sure they do their best on the court.
Lugo, an Orlando native, said he is more than ready to go and get his first head coaching job off the ground.
Im calling up schools, getting things scheduled, locking in times (for games this season) and scheduling some tournaments, stuff like that, said Lugo, who has brought in Aaron Samples as his assistant coach with Sheria Murray.
Im doing an open gym on July 8 and 10, then another open gym on July 15 and 17 just so we can get the girls out because I feel there are a lot more athletes out there than what weve been seeing, and that goes across every sport.
The post Ready For Great Experiment first appeared on Palatka Daily News .