BIC hires Kinard as basketball coach, AD

Buffalo Island Central School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to hire Mike Kinard to fill the vacancy of boys basketball coach and athletic director beginning with the 2019-2020 school year. Kinard currently serves as the girls basketball coach.

“This is not Mike’s first rodeo,” said Superintendent Gaylon Taylor. “We have seen coaches come and go and have been looking for one that really wants to be here and has an attachment and understanding of our people and our school. We wanted someone with a positive moral compass and has the ability to make good ethical decisions. Mike has always gone above and beyond the call of duty to do all he can to make the system work. He has a great knowledge of the game of basketball, has great communication skills and knows how to develop kids and programs.”

Taylor and the board praised Kinard for his excellent job with the girls basketball program this year. They expressed their pleasure about him taking the new position.

“When the position opened up for boys coach and athletic director, I asked Coach ‘K’ if he would be interested,” Taylor said. “He said he would have to think about it and pray about it and talk with his family. We received 12 applications for the job plus five phone calls. It was easy to see that Mike was the man for the job.”

Taylor said that the girls on Kinard’s team, and their parents, have been very teary-eyed over the changes, as they have grown to admire and respect him very much.

“This is an exciting time for me,” Kinard said. “There have been a lot of prayers and discussions at my house about considering this change. At first there was uncertainty then the whole family came around. They are all happy campers now.”

Kinard and his wife Tara are originally from Weiner and currently live in Jonesboro. They have two sons, tenth grader Jesse and eighth grader Luke.

“I have had some very difficult conversations with the girls, as they were ‘all in’ with the program this year,” Kinard said. “I had no way of ever projecting this opening with the boys program, when I started here last fall. I am already here, and I want to be here. I am all in for both programs. There are always challenges, but these are just a new kind of challenges. I plan to be here each day early, use weekends and the summer for the team to practice and to build the program. The students are worth it. I not only want them to build their skills but to build character and sportsmanship as well.”

“We are excited about you being here,” Director Jason Stewart said. “We look forward to what you can do and show to the students.”

“Kinard is a new coach at just the right time," Taylor said. “I foresee a bright future for both basketball programs. His heart in the right place and can guide and lead in the right way. We do things the Mustang

way and always have high expectations.”

Taylor recalled the first day he came on board as coach to fill in for former coach Brandon Ballard. The boys team had all their jerseys pinned to the gym wall to show their support in him being there.

The board passed a resolution declaring their appreciation for Superintendent Taylor, High School Principal Randy Rose and Assistant Principal Mark Hurst for their exceptional service during an emergency situation, which had resulted in the termination of boys basketball coach Brandon Ballard.

The resolution stated, “Whereas the Board of Directors recognized that this had been an emergency at the time and needed to be covered by existing personnel with the necessary qualifications to carry out the appropriate duties for the basketball program and the athletic program as a whole since no individual with the necessary experience and credentials was available at the time to take over the position.”

The resolution listed the payment of stipends for the three men for their additional service for the 2018-2019 school year. These included Taylor $3,059, Hurst $1,700 and Rose $850.