John Weaver gave up basketball in high school to concentrate on playing football at Warren Central.

The love of hoops, though, remained with Weaver throughout his college career at Hinds Community College and Delta State. Now, the Vicksburg resident is getting a shot at coaching high school hopes close to home.

Weaver was hired at Sharkey-Issaquena Academy to coach girls basketball and track and be an assistant for the football team. He spent last season as an assistant to Porters Chapel Academy girls coach E.J. Creel.

&#8220I’m ready,” Weaver said. &#8220The people that I have learned under have been great. I am not going to know every ‘X’ and ‘O’ of basketball, so I am going to seek out help.”

He has talked with Warren Central girls coach Donny Fuller and ex-Delta State coach Lloyd Clark for assistance because, &#8220they are two of the best in the business.”

His first order of business is setting up a summer schedule that will be more challenging than the Lady Confederates are used to. Weaver plans to play games against some of Jackson’s better teams throughout the summer and is pursuing games against bigger local teams.

&#8220It will only make us better,” Weaver said. &#8220I want to get as much coach time with the team as I can before the season starts.”

Weaver was being considered for the girls coaching job at Adams Christian in Natchez, but chose Sharkey-Issaquena because of the school’s proximity to his family in Vicksburg, and for his future education.

&#8220I want to get my master’s from Delta State,” said Weaver, a standout punter for two years with the Statesmen. &#8220I will be closer this way.”

The Sharkey job came open when girls basketball coach and athletic director Ben Williams took a job at Tri-County Academy. Williams said earlier that he did not want to discus his job status until after the school year.

Weaver said he will move to Rolling Fork soon and begin getting his team together.

The Lady Confederates reached the Academy A Central State Tournament a season ago and return a wealth of talent, said Weaver, who coached against SIA last season while at PCA.

Weaver worked in the Delta State sports information office after graduating college and also had a stint with the Gulf South Conference’s media relations office.