MORGANTOWN — Trinity Christian head coach Mike Baldy still remembers his first year at the helm for the Warriors. He could tell from the start it was going to be quite the journey.
“The first practice we ever had, we had an hour-long meeting to teach the basics of basketball,” he said. “We had to go over positions, rules — really all the basics,” he said.
The team’s record that year (4-19) certainly reflected the team’s general youth and inexperience, but from the beginning Baldy often had one player he could count on to take the reigns both on and off the court.
“The girls have been dedicated and worked very hard to get where we are, but Reagan Sharp has been the leader the whole way,” he said.
Fast forward to Baldy’s fourth year on the job — and Sharp’s senior season — and things are looking quite different for the Warriors. They currently sit 17-8, and are headed to Charleston for the Class A state tournament for the second-consecutive season.
As the Warriors have transitioned into a top team in Class A, Sharp has remained a force. With 1,626 career points, she’s the second all-time leading scorer at Trinity. A two-time all-state honoree, she has averaged 16 points, five rebounds, five steals and five assists per game this season as the Warriors have posted their best record yet during her career.
“Trinity has been a great atmosphere for me to grow both spiritually and as a leader. I have always been encouraged by my parents, coaches, and teachers to be the best I can be on and off the court,” Sharp said.
She credits Baldy for a good portion of her success. His mentorship and support has perhaps driven Sharp further than anything else could.
“Coach Baldy has put a lot of faith in me and the team to come every single day willing to put the work in to make ourselves better. Knowing he trusts me enough to be a leader means a lot, and I always try to live up to his expectations,” she said.
Last year, the Warriors bowed out of the tournament to eventual champions Wheeling Central Catholic in the first round. This year, No. 6 Trinity draw No. 3 Magnolia in a Wednesday morning matchup, and Baldy doesn’t believe Sharp will be willing to go home so early.
“Reagan is hungry for a title. Knowing her, she’s not just content with getting to Charleston. We’re there to win this year, and she’s our leader,” Baldy said.
For Sharp, a championship would be a culmination of the work she and her fellow seniors have put in during their careers.
“As a team, we’ve worked so hard to be in the position that we’re in now. Our goal is nothing less than to bring home another net, and it would be an incredible way for us six seniors to end our careers,” she said.
