Donny Fuller has been a part of many great wins and some gut-wrenching defeats, but one of the hardest things he had to do came Thursday, when he told next year’s Warren Central Lady Vikes basketball team he would be their coach no longer.

Fuller tendered his resignation after 23 years at Warren Central in order to accept the head coaching position at Gulfport High School.

Gulfport High athletic director Howard McNeil would not comment on Fuller’s hiring, but did say the matter would be taken up at the Gulfport School Board meeting on Monday.

For Fuller, the Gulfport job represents a new opportunity, but it was still tough to tell his Lady Vikes.

“The toughest thing was telling them I was leaving,” Fuller said. “Let’s put it this way, the coach cried and the players cried. It was tough on both of us.”

Fuller was stunned by the Gulfport offer.

“Gulfport is a great opportunity and they offered a pretty substantial package deal,” Fuller said. “I’ve always known that they have had athletes. I remember when we played them at South State recently when they had Brittany Reese.”

Reese was a Olympian on the United States track and field team in the 2008 Games in Beijing and is currently a senior at Ole Miss.

Fuller is a Vicksburg native and a 1975 Warren Central graduate. He was a manager for Coach John White’s boys team.

“That’s how Donny got his start,” said Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame basketball coach Lloyd Clark, who was the Lady Vikes coach from 1975-83. “Then after Donny graduated from Ole Miss, I hired him to be my assistant and coach my ninth grade team in 1981.”

Clark left WC to take the head coaching job at Delta State University while Fuller stayed with the Lady Vikes under Jerry Henderson until 1986, when he was hired by former Ole Miss coach Van Chancellor to join the Lady Rebels’ coaching staff.

“Donny became one of Van’s full-time assistants, but after five years, he wanted to come back and be a high school head coach,” Clark said. “Not too many will do that but Donny did and it worked out for him. He did a great job at Warren Central.”

In 17 seasons at the helm at WC, Fuller went 377-202 and his teams won seven district championships including 2009, when the Lady Vikes finished 24-5.

His last team at WC was regarded as one of the state’s best, featuring four-time Vicksburg Post Player of the Year Sha’Kayla Caples and All-County point guard Karnina Bunch. Fuller was in attendance three weeks ago to see both sign with Gulf Coast Community College out of Panama City, Fla.

The Lady Vikes, however, were upset in a first-round playoff game at home against Tupelo.

 The loss was hard on Fuller.

“Every season has its ups and downs. You put a lot of work in it,” Fuller said. “It was a tough year. Still, I think if we would’ve stayed healthy we could’ve won state.

“But Ricille (Davis) sprained her ankle the week of the district tournament and it affected us.”

Then the Gulfport job opened when Lady Admirals coach Otis Gates stepped down.

Clark said he and Fuller discussed the job.

“Donny’s got his reasons. The big thing is with the retirement. The state bases its pension on your five highest earning years,” Clark said.

Fuller says his lasting impact on the WC program has come from the players.

“My greatest pride is how well the former Lady Vikes have done for their community,” Fuller said. “I was always impressed by how many of them came back to see us play.”

As for Fuller’s replacement, Vicksburg-Warren School athletic director Lum Wright was unavailable for comment.

Current WC boys assistant coach Matt Lum could be a candidate and Clark mentioned former Vicksburg High and Louisiana Tech women’s coach Chris Long.

“I don’t know what direction they will go in,” Fuller said.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com