CARTHAGE, Texas — Chelsea Hudson has coached at a few different colleges, but all as an assistant and never as a head coach until now.
Hudson returns to Panola College as a head coach of the women's basketball program after serving as an assistant coach from 2017 to 2019, where she helped lead the Fillies to a national berth.
"I think Carthage is an amazing town, it's like family and home to me," Hudson said. "We were able to hang a banner there after 40 years, and I'm just really thankful for the opportunity."
While at Tyler Junior College, Hudson was named the 2022 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Assistant Coach of the Year, which she believes helped propel her to where she is now.
"Me being a numbers person, it was number seven, my seventh year coaching," Hudson said. "I've worked and played under some amazing coaches and a lot that I saw from Coach Trenia Tillis-Hoard is what to do right. Then exposing me and preparing me for moments like this. I don't think you're every 100% prepared to slide over into that head coaching seat, but all of the coaches have prepared me to take this next step."
With that being said, Hudson is now the head coach of a team in Region XIV, the same region as her former coaching colleagues. Coaches who were once partners are now competition.
"I'm super excited," Hudson said. "I'm excited to be in a region, one that competes at the highest level, but two it also feels like a family. So again, I'll fail and I'll make mistakes, but I know they'll be there to help. They've already been very helpful in my transition, or what I need for different things, so I'm super excited to be a part of such a great region."
Hudson takes over for Alex Furr who left to take an assistant coaching position at the University of North Texas.