varsity.roanoke.com

Kelvin Jackson doesn't need to be reminded of the glorious history of Martinsville High School boys' basketball.

It's on display in front of him nearly every day.

Relics from 13 state championships adorn the walls of the Martinsville gym, courtesy of teams coached by prep legends Mel Cartwright, Husky Hall and Troy Wells.

Jackson joined that illustrious group Monday when he officially succeeded Wells at Martinsville in just the school's third coaching change in more than 50 years.

"I went over to the gym yesterday and was looking at some of the pictures on the walls," Jackson said. "For me to stand here and think I'll be next, it's kind of mind-numbing."

Jackson, a Martinsville assistant for the past six seasons, was not planning to be the Bulldogs' head coach in 2008-09. That was until Wells abruptly resigned last month after 13 years on the job to become the head coach at Hidden Valley.

"I wasn't expecting it, I can tell you that," Jackson said. "I thought Troy and I were going to hang around for two or three more years and do this together."

Wells coached Martinsville to three VHSL Group AA championships including one in 2005-06 when Jackson was an assistant.

Jackson, 50, has extensive experience within the Piedmont District.

The Georgetown, S.C. native began his coaching career in 1981-82 as the eighth-grade coach at Drewry Mason, remaining on the staff when the school consolidated with G.W. Carver to form Magna Vista.

Jackson left to become the head football coach at Eau Claire High School in Columbia, S.C. He returned to Henry County in 1996 as the head basketball coach at Bassett, before the school consolidated with Fieldale-Collinsville.

Jackson had five losing seasons including a 1-20 record in 1999-2000, finishing with an overall record with the Bengals of 26-78.

Wells, who won just six games in three years in his first head coaching stint at Christiansburg, was happy to see Jackson get the Martinsville position.

"He's a good person and a good coach. I think he's a perfect fit for the community," Wells said.

"Both of us have gone from being an assistant to a head coach, to an assistant to a head coach. The second time around, you're a little more prepared, a little more ready."

Wells, who helped Martinsville win five Group AA titles under Hall, said he put Jackson in the same role on the bench that he had as an assistant.

"I was able to handle all the substitution patterns, which allowed Husky to manage the game in terms of time, score and situation," Wells said. "I totally trusted Kelvin with our substitutions. We worked very well together. There were no egos involved, just a shared goal."

Jackson, who said he expects assistants Larry Hairston and Charlie Holland to remain with the program, believes continuity is the strength of the program.

"I don't think anyone can replace Coach Wells," he said. "He has mastered this game. He can see things most people can't see from the sidelines. I'm not going to change anything, down to the letters on the jerseys.

"I'm just going to be me."

One link that will not occur is a regular-season game between Martinsville and Hidden Valley.

"No, Coach Wells told me we are not playing each other and he told the guy at Virginia Tech not to put us with each other up there this summer either," Jackson said.