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A 1962 Wilburton High School graduate and former coach as well as a former Eastern Oklahoma State College men’s basketball coach will return this fall as the Lady Mountaineer head coach at the Wilburton college.

Clyde Wooldridge was named as the head women’s coach this week by Eastern to lead the Lady Mountaineers assisted by April Ponds who has been with the team the last few years.

“Clyde brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the women’s basketball program,” Eastern Athletic Director Win Case says. “I think he will do a tremendous job leading our women’s team with continued aid from assistant coach April Ponds.

Wooldridge says coaching and athletics have always been his passion.

“I am thankful for the confidence that coach Win Case and the administration have shown me,” Wooldridge said.

“I am appreciative of the opportunity I have been given to return to coaching. This has always been my life’s passion.

“Also, I am very appreciative of the capable help I will have in Assistant Coach April Ponds. It is very evident after a short time that she is very efficient and knowledgeable in her work. She is definitely an asset to the program,” he said.

Wooldridge played college basketball at Murray State College, Tishomingo, from 1962-64. He received his bachelor’s in education from Northeastern State College in 1966 and later a master’s degree in education from Northeastern State University in 1976.

He began his career in Wilburton where he primarily coached high school boy’s basketball from 1966-1981 where the Diggers amassed a 200-168 record.

After a three-year stint in private business, he coached men’s basketball at Eastern as an assistant and head coach from 1984-1989 with a 101-47 record.

He spent five years as athletic director at McAlester High School from 1992 until his retirement in 1997.

Unable to be totally removed from athletics he served one year as interim coach at Missouri Baptist College in St. Louis during the 1999-2000 season where the Spartans had a 22-11 record.

Wooldridge has spent the last four years as sports editor of the McAlester News-Capital covering local high school sports action along with the Mountaineers and Lady Mountaineers, state and national news.