Gethers leaves hometown school to coach Iron Horse girls’ hoops

Allen Gethers admits it wasn’t an easy decision to leave Timberland High School when the Philip Simmons High School girls’ basketball coaching position was offered to him.

 

After all, he was born in St. Stephen and graduated from Timberland in 2007. After matriculating and graduating from South Carolina State University in 2011, he returned home as a coach, first as an assistant for the girls’ basketball team. He then served as head coach of the Timberland girls’ team for the past eight years, until the Iron Horses came calling.

 

“That wasn’t an easy task,” Gethers said of his decision. “To grow up there, to go to school there, and then to teach and coach there. For 13 years, that’s all I knew.

 

“But at the end of the day, I understood that growing as a person can involve making tough decisions. And I asked myself, ‘Where do I want to grow?’ And that answer was Philip Simmons. I love those girls I coached at Timberland, but it was a decision I had to make. Besides, we will see each other at least two times a year.”

 

Gethers posted a 77-94 record as head coach of the Wolves. The team struggled in his first two years at the helm of the program, combining for a 14-26 mark. His first winning season occurred during the 2018-19 campaign, when the Wolves won 14 games, while losing 10.

 

Timberland won back-to-back region championships during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons before posting an 11-11 mark last winter.

 

Gethers was the first member of his family to attend and graduate from college. While in Orangeburg, he became friends with Dustin Williams, the coach he replaces at PSHS.

 

“It’s crazy, we went to South Carolina State University at the same time,” Gethers said. “We became good friends. Dustin gave me his blessing when I pursued the job. We’re really good friends, but we are more like brothers.”

 

Williams was the man PSHS officials turned to when it came time to start the girls’ program in 2017. The Iron Horses were only 5-10 in that inaugural season but posted a 16-9 record the next season, winning their first playoff game.

 

Williams finished with a 95-50 record as coach, while winning three region championships. The team’s best stretch was from the 2020-21 season through 2022-23, when the team won 43 times against 12 losses.

 

“I just want to grow a little more and see what I have to offer,” said Gethers. “The school is growing, the community is growing, so I can grow with them. Leaving Timberland was a tough decision. But sometimes, making a tough decision helps you become a better person.”

 

Gethers is in the get-to know mode. He hasn’t met with the entire team just yet, but “I’ve met some of the players. We are going to hold an ice cream social on June 1; sort of like a meet and greet.”

 

And no doubt, talk about basketball.