Coach led St. Mary’s girls to 5 Catholic League hoops titles
Harry Dobson, who oversaw the most successful era of St. Mary’s girls basketball, died unexpectedly Jan. 18 due to an aneurysm. The lifelong Annapolis resident was 81 years old.
Dobson compiled a 306-184 record, leading St. Mary’s to five Catholic League championships during a 21-year tenure as head coach. He previously served as junior varsity coach and varsity assistant under Carmine Blades for three seasons.
Blades, who was also the St. Mary’s athletic director, retired from coaching following the 1988-89 season and promptly promoted Dobson. The Saints captured their first Catholic League Tournament crown to cap Dobson’s first season.
St. Mary’s enjoyed a tremendous run from 1991-92 through 1993-94, posting a 72-11 record and capturing three straight Catholic League championships. Those teams produced numerous Division I athletes with point guard Bridgit Smith (UMBC) and forward Annetta Davis (Syracuse) playing college basketball. Meanwhile, forwards Nicole Foran (Maryland) and Jen Manning (Boston) played college lacrosse. Kristin Miller, another key member of those teams, enjoyed a terrific career at Division III Western Maryland.
“Harry Dobson was an outstanding basketball coach and a tremendous person. Over and above basketball, Harry was as good a man you’ll ever meet,” current St. Mary’s girls basketball coach Chuck Miller said.
Miller, who had two daughters (Kerry, Kristin) play for Dobson and served as his assistant for nine seasons, recalled that
Dobson directed a summer basketball camp and donated all the proceeds to the St. Mary’s athletic department.
He routinely bought all the Saints players matching shoes.
“Every penny Harry made coaching at St. Mary’s was given right back to his teams and the school,” Miller said. “Harry cared about every single player on his team, and he treated the star player the same as the last one on the bench.
“All the players absolutely loved Harry because he was so passionate and devoted.”
St. Mary’s held a moment of silence before Friday night’s girls’ home game. All the Saints wore T-shirts in honor of Dobson during pregame warmups.
St. Mary’s had another impressive run of success from 1995-96 through 1998-99, fashioning a record of 104-21 during that fouryear stretch. Those teams were led by four future Division I basketball players in point guard Emily Lipton (Virginia Tech), wing guards Maria Smear (Yale) and Terri Daniels (Maryland) along with center Felicia Holloway (Iona).