For 1st time in 45 years, Dillard has a new coach

In the world of high school sports, there are few icons. Marcia Pinder was one of them. The late Dillard girls basketball coach, who died at age 70 in June, won 10 state titles, won more games than any basketball coach in state history and was an indomitable presence on the Fort Lauderdale school’s campus for 44 years.

Filling her shoes is a tough task, but it’s the role Chanell Washington has taken. The first new Dillard girls basketball coach since the Gerald Ford administration is looking to keep the Panthers program running like the well-oiled machine Pinder estalbished.

“I can’t be Ms. Pinder; I’m not even going to try,” Washington said. “I take some things that I learned from her and implement it into my own style, but if I try to be Ms. Pinder, it’s a recipe for failure. I have to do things my own way. But like I said, I’ve known her since I was 13. I’ve coached here for 19 years, so I’ve learned a lot, I’ve seen a lot. And [I’m] just trying to build on what she did.”

Washington is a Dillard alumnus and played for Pinder. She spent nearly two decades years as a junior varsity coach and varsity assistant coach. Still, taking over the head coaching role has unleashed a variety of tasks that Washington said she’s still adjusting to.

“What I’m finding out now is that it’s not easy being the Dillard head coach,” she said. “No. 1, you’ve got all these outside alumni and booster clubs and parents all thing they have a say-so. Ms. Pinder made it look very easy. It takes three people to do what she did.”

Washington said she and many of the Dillard players are still mourning Pinder’s death.

“She was not just a coach; she was a second mother,” Washington said. “I was closer to Ms. Pinder than probably my own mom.”

But Dillard has come out of the gates fighting this season. They started Washington’s tenure with three wins before the Thanksgiving break. Two of those games included tributes to Pinder.

“It’s emotional, but game-time, I just use it as motivation to go hard and win the game for us and honor her,” senior Markyhia Davis said.

Junior forward Khyala Ngodu is Dillard’s standout returning player. She was a first-team All-County pick as a freshman, averaging 12.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, but Ngodu missed her entire sophomore year with a torn ACL.

“I didn’t let this bring me down ... being able to come back and play for Dillard was the No. 1 thing,” Ngodu said. “Our late coach, Ms. Pinder — I wanted to come back and honor her whatever way I can.”

Washington is optimistic about the direction the team is heading. The Panthers have picked up close wins over Everglades and South Broward before beating Palm Beach Lakes by 28 points.

“Our defense is ahead of schedule; we’ve been playing great defense these first three games,” Washington said. “Once our offense catches up with our defense, we’re going to be scary.”

Despite a new face leading the team on the bench, Washington said the bones of the Panthers’ program remain the same.

“Even though Ms. Pinder’s not here, nothing’s changed,” Washington said. “We’ll continue this winning tradition. Our main goal, like it’s always been the last 44 years, is to get these girls into college.”