TATUM, Texas — It’s been quite the year for Tatum Lady Eagles head basketball coach Patricia Nelson.
First, she was inducted into the Tenaha Holiday Hoops Hall of Fame, then Nelson earned career win number 500, with a four point win over Waskom at the American Airlines Center.
"First of all, to God be the glory," Nelson said. "I know without Him, none of this will be possible. My former players and the coaches that I've had at Kilgore ISD and Tatum ISD, and the communities' parents have been great. I don't know how to feel because I'm so blessed, and I'm just so excited for the community of Tatum."
Win 500 makes Nelson the only African American female high school head coach to reach that milestone in the East Texas region, paving the way for the younger generations to come after like junior Lady Eagle Jade Simon.
"It made us feel great," Simon said. "It showed us that as a Black woman in this world, we can still achieve many things together.”
Five hundred wins isn't easy, but the Lady Eagles' leading scorer Aundrea Bradley said it's all in the coaching.
“She's a great coach," Bradley said. "I mean, I might get yelled at a lot, but it's only helped me get it better."
Nelson has coached in the Tatum community for nearly two decades, and it’s a family affair.
"I coached a lot of my cousins and nieces, so it's just been a blast to be able to celebrate with this community," Nelson exclaimed. "And we have the greatest fans. It doesn't matter where we go, what we're doing, they're always there. And it's just been great being here.”
Before becoming a head coach, Nelson won two national championships at the junior college level. One as a player and the other as an assistant under the legendary, trailblazing Evelyn Blalock.
"Blaylock of course, besides kicking the chairs, I think I kind of mirror her because my passion is so great," Nelson said. "I love this sport, and I love the things that this sport can teach you.”
Eighteen years down, but so many more to go. Nelson told CBS19 she doesn't plan on calling it a career anytime soon.
“I'm just so blessed to be here and I'm just so thankful," she said.
