By: Tom Williams | Feb 14, 2025
Clarksdale, MS — Coahoma County High School (CCHS) head basketball coach Derrick Moore celebrated a significant milestone last night, earning his 900th career win with a victory over Amanda Elzy. Moore, who has been coaching for 21 years, began his coaching career in 2006 as an assistant under legendary Coach Isiah Peterson. His brother, Daryl Moore, was a player on that team.
Moore’s coaching staff features a strong family connection, with his brother Daryl, who won two state championships as a player, his cousin Jonnetta Robinson Williams, who played in two state championship games for CCHS, and his son Derrick Moore Jr., who also won two state championships under his father’s leadership. Additional staff members include Eddie Taylor and Latarius O’Neil.
Expressing his gratitude, Coach Moore stated, “My coaching staff is the best in the world, hands down. The preparation these coaches go through makes my job much easier.” Moore also took time to recognize ESPNTOM, a key figure in his program. “This man is everything to me and this school. He keeps stats, is the public address announcer at games, handles all my media relations, and does scouting reports on players and teams. There’s nothing this guy doesn’t know.”
Moore’s dedication to his family and the CCHS community is evident. “My family is everything to me, and the fans are everything to me,” he shared.
Throughout his career, Moore has earned numerous accolades, including multiple district “Coach of the Year” awards, 10 Delta Valley Conference (DVC) “Coach of the Year” honors, and recognition as the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) State Coach of the Year. He has also been named the Mississippi Association of Coaches’ “Coach of the Year” three times. In recognition of his achievements, the gym at CCHS has been named in his honor.
This year, Moore was named boys’ and girls’ district “Coach of the Year” and coached his first-ever Dandy Dozen player, Caitlin Hall. “Coaching Hall was a pleasure. She’s a really good kid, and I wish her the best,” Moore said.
Moore is also coaching his daughter, who is on the current team. Since taking over the boys’ team in 2016, he has led with relentless determination and has never looked back. “Coaching boys and girls is not as hard as it looks. My coaching staff is right there when I’m not,” he explained.
Although Moore’s girls’ team has made two state championship appearances, they have yet to secure the title. However, his boys’ teams have captured seven state championships in 2005, 2006, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2023.
With his 900th win now in the books, Coach Moore continues to leave an indelible mark on CCHS basketball and the broader community, inspiring players and fans alike.
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