Full story from The Journal News/LoHud.com:
Patrice Wallace-Moore, who had been the Mount Vernon girls basketball coach since the 2003-2004 season, has resigned.
“I’ve been planning on it for a while anyway,” Wallace-Moore said. “One of the main reasons was because I got a promotion in my job, I became corporate VP of my company (Liberty
Management). I’m not able to take both of those responsibilities and give them my full attention.”
Wallace-Moore sent a letter of resignation to Mount Vernon athletic director Bob Cimmino last week and informed her team Friday after the Knights lost to New Rochelle in the Section 1 Class AA tournament.
At 9-10, the Knights posted their first losing record during Wallace-Moore’s tenure.
“It was an odd season, we were really young,” West Virginia-bound forward Lubirdia Gordon said. “I was injured, but (Wallace-Moore) was never the type to say that we would lose. She always said to work hard and that we would go places.”
Wallace-Moore won the 1981 Class A state title as a player for Mount Vernon before continuing her career at Fairfield University. She guided the Knights to the Class AA state final in 2010.
“(Wallace-Moore) has had great players, and I’m happy for her,” said 2010 Mount Vernon graduate Taylor Palmer, who now plays at West Virginia. “Now she can relax a little more with no stress, without the basketball and the stuff that goes into it.”
Now, she’ll also have the chance to keep a closer eye on the basketball exploits of someone else who is near and dear to her.
“My youngest son is a phenomenal wheelchair basketball player but I missed most of his games due to my investment in (the team),” Wallace-Moore said. “He’s going to the University of Missouri to play wheelchair basketball. Maybe I missed his high school games, but my plan is to fly and watch him play (in college).”
10 Comments
As someone whose followed Section 1 for a long time, I have to say she made that program what it was/is. She was a very good coach and was well respected throughout the section. I wish her well with her Jew job and hope that program continues to stay strong in her absence.
Having faced Ms. Moore’s teams a half dozen times over the years, I have full respect for the way she coached the game and enforced a level of discipline in her players. She had an old school view for no-nonsense conduct on the court and sportsmanship.
Just as Sue Adams did at WP last season, its a little dismaying when good coaches “coincidentally” time their departure to the point where the program is clearly entering a rebuilding phase. The test of true coaching is winning with average talent. But they earned the right to leave when they choose based on their years of dedication to their programs.
ps – Colonial, I’m sure you meant NEW job.
@colonial…no need for words like that referring to her job like that..let’s keep it civil
I’m pretty sure Colonial meant, “new” job. Colonial has always been pretty civil on here, it was probably just a typo. Unfortunately, we can’t edit posts; only approve/deny.
Having been Patrice’s assistant for the past ten years, she will truly be missed.. She was an inspiration to all and knew exactly how to express herself to her players. She was a terrific role model to her athletes. This was not a decision that was decided because it was a rebuilding year coming up..This was decided at the end of last season, knowing that her job was going to take up more time. Patrice would never turn away from a challenge..
haha oops. I was typing that on my cell phone. Sorry, typo! I meant NEW job. Apologies everyone!
A classy lady all the way. Good luck to her….and her son!
Coach Moore,
Patrice my friend you will be missed. Everything you did you did with class and dignity. You did an amazing job with the girls you coached. Not only that but you always treated my kids and the kids of your opponents with respect and are an awesome role model for us all. I feel the most important thing you did was love your girls and in turn they loved you back. You loved them enough to tell them when they were wrong and show them how they can be their best. Good luck in your new ventures. With lots of respect and love, Don
Patrice is and always will be a role model and a leader. She endured in the league despite many challenges. She is a coaches coach. I wish her well. It’s a sad day for Mount Vernon.
A huge loss for the Mt. Vernon Girl’s Basketball Team, the Mt. Vernon community and Section 1, as a whole. She was much more than a coach. She was a role model and a mentor to young girls who benefited greatly from being exposed to an accomplished, wise and tough, when she needed to be, woman.