From men’s assistant to leading women at VPCC

Eugene Baker has always seen himself as a head coach. So, when his four-year run as the boys basketball coach at Warhill High School ended following the 2022-23 season, he knew he wanted to return to the sideline in that capacity.

He has that opportunity. Virginia Peninsula Community College named him its women's basketball coach.

"My career goal was to coach in college, and so now I have my opportunity," said Baker, who has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the men's team at VPCC.

Chris Moore, the athletics director and men's basketball coach at VPCC, has known Baker for several years and recruited some of his former players. In Baker's two years at VPCC, the Gators have gone 36-17, were ranked 11^th in the country, and came within one victory of making the national tournament this year.

"He's been a huge impact on this men's basketball staff," Moore said. "He has a lot of local ties in the community. I think he understands and has bought into the vision of not just the basketball program, but the whole athletic department."

Baker, who attended the College almost 20 years ago, bleeds green, gold and purple.

"I'm loyal to the brand. I love VPCC," he said.

He has bought into the long-term vision.

"I do not see two separate teams," he said. "I see one program. I see the men and the women together as one program."

Baker wants the men's coaches to be comfortable helping with the women's team and his staff to be comfortable helping the men's players.

"There'll be times when I still sit on the bench at the men's games," he said. "I won't have the role that I currently have now with the men's team, but my input will still be valued."

His coaching resume includes two stints as an assistant at Phoebus, sandwiched around his time at Warhill. He has extensive experience in AAU programs and area middle schools. He has never coached women, but doesn't think it will be an issue.

Neither does Moore.

"It is a different side of the ball … but I think he's more than ready to be able to get on that side and win immediately," he said.

Baker graduated from Denbigh High School in 1996 and has an associate degree in Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) technology from ITT Technical Institute. He's a program manager for Valkyrie Enterprises in Virginia Beach.

He appreciates that this opportunity is coming a little later in life. He admits when he was a younger coach, he "was less patient and more of a firecracker."

With that patience has come a better understanding of how going through the process leads to progress.

First on his to-do list is assembling a coaching staff. He has a few coaches who have already committed to him, and he's reaching out to others. He wants to make sure they are a good fit.

After that, he will resume recruiting.

"We've been going to games," he said. "We have a lot of offers out there for young women to come be a part of it."

One of the challenges, he admits, is raising community awareness. The College has struggled to field a team since COVID, so he'll increase social media presence in addition to the usual recruiting methods.

"Just to get more awareness out there," he said.

His goal is to make the public want to become a part of what the athletics department is building at VPCC.

For the men's team, Baker's duties centered on defense. He expects that to be an emphasis on the women's side.

"I don't see myself ever losing that," he said. "That's where I hang my hat. I think that's why it will be the pillars of the women's team."

He's excited about this chance, and he and Moore had been discussing for a while how to make the women's program a success. At the time, he didn't anticipate he would be in charge.

"Now that I'm in that role, I'm able to bring those ideas and thoughts to fruition," Baker said. "We have a great model in the men's program. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Moore is sure he has the right person for the job.

"He's a team-first guy, and because of that, he's willing to do whatever it takes to build this program," Moore said.

For more information on VPCC, visit www.vpcc.edu.