Battles picked to lead NPC women’s basketball program,
A new face will lead the National Park College women’s basketball team as the program heads into its fourth season as an NJCAA team.
Dominique Battles will take the helm of the Nighthawks after most recently serving as the head coach of the Lakeside junior Lady Rams basketball team. Marvin Moody, who served as head coach for the past three seasons, accepted a position as the director of the Better Chances program this summer.
Battles spent eight years at Jonesboro High School where he won two state championships and coached a handful collegiate-level players before moving to Hot Springs.
“It’s exciting, you know, any opportunity to coach at the college level to make my mom and dad proud,” he said. “You know, that post was on Facebook (Friday). I’m sure my mom is going crazy right now. But just the opportunity that coach (Jason) Hudnell gave me at National Park, I mean it’s just — it’s a blessing.”
After many successful years coaching in Jonesboro, Battles decided it was time to leave Northeast Arkansas. Growing up in Gosnell before coaching at Jonesboro, Battles grew tired of the delta’s flatland and the mosquitoes.
“So I just wanted a way out,” he said. “Not out of Jonesboro High School you know, or Jonesboro the city, I just wanted some fresh air and some mountains and less mosquitoes in my life.”
Battles’ team was playing in the state finals in Hot Springs when the job at Lakeside came open, and he leapt at the opportunity to move to the Spa City.
“I’m thankful for that, too,” he said. “Because that’s what brought me here. That’s kind of what led into here. … The school district itself wasn’t home, but the people I met were like family and so they’ve — like as a personal trainer now at Hot Springs Health and Fitness, I can’t get rid of Lakeside people. They were my first clients as far as personal training goes.”
Although coaching at the collegiate level is a jump from the high school and junior high game, Battles worked with Jodi Christenberry at Jonesboro. Christenberry taught Battles how to run a high school program like a college program.
“And so I think I’ve kind of been prepared for this without knowing I was preparing for this just because Jodi Christenberry kind of groomed me for this kind of job, I think, “Battles said.
In his first year in charge at National Park, Battles looks to learn the program, community
and the conference his team will be playing in. Some of the biggest challenges for Battles will include learning how to coach a team with a shot clock and adapting to the pace of the game.
“You know, it feels like it’s so close,” he said. “I keep trying to tell myself I still have time. But you know, so far, we’ve already laid the foundation for the offensive system we want to run. So these next couple of months, now we just kind of iron that out, make sure everyone’s aware, everyone’s on the same page. Then we’ve got to get in shape. That’s what the girls are dreading the most.”
Looking into the future, Battles would like to see more in-state players join his team, and he wants to build a program that is enticing for players around the state to come play in.
“I just want a community around those girls,” Battles said. “You know, I want people in Hot Springs to help me, you know, make these girls feel at home to help take care of these girls. I think that’s really important for the program to grow and for these girls to enjoy their time here at National Park.”
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