Bio

WYE MILLS – Joel Dearring is a patientman.

Dearring spent two decades as assistantmen’s basketball coach for Prince George’s CommunityCollege legend John Wiley. Now that Wiley has retired, Dearring isbranching out on his own as Chesapeake College’s new headmen’s basketball coach.

"It’s a great opportunity for me –and for any player who wants to participate in Chesapeake’smen’s basketball program," said Dearring. "We want to win notjust on the court but also in the classroom."

Dearring’s dedication to those two goalsis illustrated by the commitment he wants from his players.

"I’m going to ask my players for twothings," said Dearring, who helped the Owls win a Region XXchampionship and advance to the national tournament in 2008. "Iwant a photo of them in the jersey of their four-year college and Iwant an invitation to their college graduation. We want players whowant to move on and get a four-year college degree."

Dearring said Wiley’s retirement made himexamine the direction he wanted his coaching career to take.

"I coached 20 years at Prince George’sunder a great head coach. The training I had definitely prepared meto handle a JuCo program," said Dearring.

"Chesapeake has a great tradition," addedDearring, noting retired head coach John Mappas led the program toat least 20 wins in four of his seven years running the Skipjacks."John Mappas is probably one of the few coaches in Maryland JuCo Icould call at home to talk about the game. I’m just honoredto sit in the seat that he sat in."

Mappas said the Skipjacks made a wise hiringdecision.

"Joel’s very personable and gets alongwith his kids very well," said Mappas. "John (Wiley) was a greatcoach and Joel was right there with him. You could almost call themco-coaches. Joel recruited some awfully good kids."

The Skipjacks feel fortunate to have found acoach with Dearring’s experience to replace retired NBAveteran Reggie Williams, who resigned one season after succeedingMappas as head coach.

"Joel is just ready to become a head coach,"said Chesapeake College Athletic Director Frank Szymanski. "Heknows Maryland JuCo and he understands what it takes to build asuccessful program. I’m glad we were able to land him."

Dearring’s coaching resume also includeshead coaching stints in two high-powered leagues – theJabbo-Kenner College Summer League (1998-2002) and theWashington-Metro Midnight League (1995-1999). His Jabbo-Kennersquads made the playoffs each season while Dearring had anopportunity to both coach and mentor young adults in the nationallyrenowned Midnight League, which helps guide young men to college oremployment.

Dearring said he views coaching as anoutstanding mentoring opportunity.

"The main goal is for our players to get acollege education," said Dearring. "Chesapeake is a wonderfulinstitution with caring people. Any parent who sends their child toChesapeake College to become part of our basketball program willknow that they will leave better than when they got there and theywill be able to handle any four-year college experience."

Dearring – who earned an associate degreefrom PGCC and a Bachelor’s of Science in Broadcast Journalismfrom Bowie State College – has extensive media experience. Hespent four seasons hosting a sports talk show on the University ofthe District of Columbia radio station (WDCU) in addition toservice as a WJLA-TV sports producer, Washington Post freelancesportswriter, and sports director for WOL-AM radio station inWashington, D.C.

Dearring had been a member of the Black Coachesand Administrators Association (BCA) for two decades and theNational Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for 15 years. Hewas an NABC Guardian of the Game Merit Award Recipient and hascompleted the NCAA/BCA Achieving Coaching Excellence Program– the only assistant coach in the country to have completedthat program.

Dearring will bring one former PGCC coach, leadassistant Allen Mitchell, who has been to three national JuCotournaments with the Owls (twice as a player and once as anassistant coach). Another assistant, Wesley Sweet, was on the Owls'2006 Region XX runner-up squad. Rounding out the staff is KevinBuckner, who Dearring said brings a wealth of knowledge andexperience to the program.