Former OVC Player Hired as New Lady Laker Basketball Coach

Calloway County has hired a new girls basketball coach, Maddie Waldrop. The news was announced Friday, August 20, at a press conference at CCHS. Coach Waldrop will take over for former girls’ basketball coach Valerie Waller, who resigned over the summer. 

Coach Waldrop had worked with some of the Lady Laker players over the summer, and when she was asked about what was so attractive about the Head Coaching Job she said, “Seeing that I got to train with seven of them this summer, then the position to be the head coach became open, that is really what caught my attention.” 

Waldrop played college basketball at UT Martin in the Ohio Valley Conference. Her time there was very successful as she was All-OVC First Team in 2019-20 and OVC All-Tournament Team in 2020-21. She totaled 1,092 points, third all-time in rebounds, and sixth all-time in blocks. She also had a very successful high school career for Murray High School. She received the 2014 Paducah Sun Player of the Year, the 2016 WPSD Athlete of the Year, and the 2017 First Region MVP.  

“I think it absolutely will. I was given the opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs of the game for 4 extra years which is more than most people can say. I played some of the best teams in the nation and help my own. I’ve seen what it takes to compete at the next level as well, so I can prepare these girls for the road ahead.” 

Waldrop plans to use her playing experience to form her own coaching style. She played for Coach Rechelle Turner during her time at Murray High School. “The first person I called was Coach Turner.” Waldrop looked to Coach Turner for advice when figuring out if she should consider taking the job. She also talks about how UT Martin Head Coach Kevin McMillian impacted her. “Coach McMillian showed me that if you bring your best and work your hardest every day, things seem to fall into place.”