Doug Worsley has been named head coach of the Cascade varsity boys basketball program for the upcoming 2024-2025 season. (Submitted Photo)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
When former Cascade head basketball coach Chris Lawson accepted the varsity coaching position at MTCS, it didn’t take the Champion administration very long to find his successor.
Earlier this week, the school announced the hiring of coach Doug Worsley.
Worsley isn’t a stranger to Cascade basketball, having matched up against the Champions plenty of times over the past 11 years as head coach at Central Magnet High School.
While a change from Central Magnet to Cascade certainly has a different dynamic, a previous coaching stop at Sycamore High School has Worsley feeling accustomed to the small-school environment.
“I coached at Sycamore High School before I came to Murfreesboro. There’s a very similar vibe between Sycamore and Cascade as far as the size and makeup of the school. That kind of gives me an advantage in the sense that I kind of have a feel for that,” Worsley said
“There’s been a lot of great coaches there. I have a lot to live up to.”
Worsley has been in charge of the Tiger program for 11 years and helmed quality tenure as coach at Central Magnet that included a pair of state sectional appearances.
“It’s bittersweet—you’re leaving a program you were at for 11 years at Central Magnet and stepping into a newfound world. There’s a little bit of excitement. There’s a little bit of fear. There’s a little bit of trepidation. But in the end I know it’s the right move for me and my family,” he said.
“As with all things, change brings in a little bit of fear because it’s all new. I’m excited. Cascade is a great community. They have a great reputation at whatever level they’re playing at, which in the past was 1A and then they moved up to 2A.”
While coaching changes can certainly bring about fundamental changes to programs, one thing Worsley has engrained in his basketball M.O. is a strong defensive effort in every team he’s been part of, from player to coach.
“No matter what, no matter where I’ve been, it’s been defense first. When I played in high school and college—that’s been my identity. I think teams and programs take on the personalities of their coaches. Over the years, it’s changed into a grind it out, half-court type of coach before and then I’ve gone full-court pressure when we’ve had plenty of athletes and lots of them,” he said.
Stepping into a tradition-rich program, Worsley understands the close-knit basketball community like Cascade and the passion that not only fuels the players, but also the fans in the stands as well.
“Those parents are passionate because they’ve poured their hearts and lives into it. The challenge for me is to show these parents and the people coming out continuously night after night, that I have the same passion and I want to live up to the expectations they have for the program,” he said.
Often in the coaching carousel, coaches don’t get a full complement of summer work with their team in a transition.
While it’s still mid-May, Worsley feels like the coming weeks will help him get to know the returning players, as well as help forge their identity.
“It (summer) gives me an advantage because I get to evaluate where we are. I get to look and see what we need to adapt to. It’s definitely an advantage opposed to coming in later,” he said.
“We’re jumping right in. We’re going to Coffee County. We’re going to use it as an evalutation time. We’re going to be working out and seeing what we have. Then after that, we’ll get to work and start putting things in that I think are important for us to be successful. We have a full summer. We’re going to go to Gallatin team camp for two days. We’re going to go to Van Buren for a day and then we’re to finish it up at BCAT Hoopfest.”
Cascade finished the 2024-2025 season with a 16-13 overall record.
