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SPORTS
Grant Traylor: Larry Lambert's legacy lives on in the Tri-State
Followers of girls basketball in the Tri-State said goodbye to an influential man this week.
Larry Lambert, founder and coach of the WV Thunder AUU girls basketball program, passed away Monday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 70.
While Lambert is gone, his impact on the game certainly will live on for generations.
Huntington St. Joe girls coach coach Shannon Lewis said Lambert helped him immensely when he took over the Irish program several years ago.
A program that was once struggling to even survive now has three consecutive Class A state titles to its credit.
The influence does not end at the doors of Huntington St. Joe, however.
Several local products played for WV Thunder teams throughout the years and earned college scholarships by showcasing their talents during the AAU season.
Players such as Whitney Bays, Sara Sang, Erin Bailes and Talequia Hamilton are some of the better known local names that recently earned NCAA Division I scholarships thanks to Lambert's tutelage.
With Lambert's skill on the sidelines and the team's skill on the court, WV Thunder became a nationally recognized program and even won an AAU National Championship last year over the Georgia Pistols -- one of the highlights of Lambert's coaching career, according to St. Joe assistant coach Scott Johnson.
Lambert was Johnson's coaching mentor, and they grew to be terrific friends. Johnson even stayed at the hospital several nights with Lambert over his final weeks, which helped strengthen the bond.
Over the years, Lambert touched the lives of many individuals, teaching lessons about basketball and life.
And over the weekend, those people came together at Wallace Funeral Home to pay respects to a man that gave much more.
To the Tri-State basketball family that is saddened by his loss, don't worry. His inspiration will certainly be evident on the court because of the people he taught.
To his family, Lambert was a better person than coach. He instilled the values of hard work, determination and leadership in all, and that is to be celebrated.
It certainly won't be an easy task, but both immediate family and the basketball family can take solace knowing that Lambert's legend lives on through you all.
Basketball will certainly be different this year without him, but because it is what he would want, everyone will make it through.
Whatever it takes.
HIT THE FIELD: The official opening of high school football practice in West Virginia and Ohio is Monday with teams taking the field for the 2011 season.
Most teams in both states have roughly two weeks to get in gear before the first scrimmage of the season gets underway during the weekend of Aug. 12-13.
The regular season opens for both during the week of Aug. 25-27.
MEDIA/PICTURE DAYS: To all teams that sent in their Media/Picture Day information in the last week, thank you very much.
However, I only have information for eight of the 15 teams that we are featuring in the 2011 High School Football Preview.
These need to be sent to me no later than Thursday (Aug. 4) at 3 p.m. for me to get them scheduled for our photographers.
Schools that I still need information from include Hurricane, Lincoln County, Tolsia, Fairland, South Point, Rock Hill and Symmes Valley.
Grant Traylor is a sports reporter for The Herald-Dispatch. Contact him at 304-526-2759 or gtraylor@herald-dispatch.com.
