Coach A is on the way to ORMA today

Good luck to Coach Alan Ashkinazy as he heads out to the Oak Ridge Military Academy….We have known AA for many years and he is a hard worker that believes in winning and he doesn’t mind doing the work that it takes to make it to the top of his game….Good luck to Coach Wilkerson as well….

Baseball and Volleyball Coaches Start New Chapter at ORMA

OAK RIDGE, N.C., June 10, 2010 – Two new coaches have been invited to Oak Ridge Military Academy in an effort to continue rebuilding the athletics program. Coach Michelle D. Wilkerson will lead the ladies volleyball team and Coach Alan Ashkinazy will lead the 2010-11 men’s baseball team. Oak Ridge continues to build strong academic and athletic programs, in an effort to provide cadets with every opportunity to succeed.

A New York City native, Coach Ashkinazy graduated from New York Institute of Technology in 1983, where he attended on a baseball scholarship. He was named “All-Northeast” four years in a row and was the team MVP his sophomore and senior years. He was also the NCAA Stolen Base Champion in 1981. He also spent four years with the Boston Red Sox organization, including two years with the Greensboro Hornets. He has been the head coach at Greensboro Day School, Smith High School, and Grimsley High School. His record at Grimsley was 69-34 with three State Play-Off Appearances. He was also the head coach of the Palomino World Champions. ”With the tradition of Oak Ridge Military Academy, the ORMA family deserves success. I will be totally dedicated to doing my part in helping rebuild the baseball program,” Coach Ashkinazy said.

Coach Wilkerson is an accomplished volleyball coach and has brought her teams to achievements at the highest level; including state championship, conference championship, producing all-state players, Division One recruits, and more. Additionally, she is an experienced teacher and has an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a law degree from Regent University School of Law in Virginia. “I believe I have a great deal to offer ORMA, and can help the Academy accomplish goals,” Wilkerson said.

“We’re excited about all the talent and success these coaches bring to the table. It’s another example of providing our cadets with opportunities to succeed in all aspects of their educational experience at Oak Ridge,” Athletic Director, Otis Yelverton remarked.

“The opportunity to bring two accomplished coaches into our Academy family further demonstrates our goal of striving for excellence in all facets of the school.  These two individuals are wonderful additions to the faculty and staff as we continue to improve the academic, student life, and athletic quality at Oak Ridge Military Academy.  Moving forward, our students will attain quality of the whole person as we bring in quality faculty and mentors to help them achieve their goals,” school president, Cuyler McKnight said.

Founded in 1852, Oak Ridge Military Academy focuses on education through discipline, citizenship, and leadership. Oak Ridge Military Academy is the official military school of North Carolina and the oldest college preparatory school in the state. It is also the state’s oldest accredited secondary school, offering boarding and day-student programs, as well as a middle school for students in grades six through eight.

Throughout its history ORMA has graduated alumni who have served in every conflict since the War of Southern Independence. ORMA cadets have received 127 Purple Hearts, 27 Silver Stars, and in World War II alone, 42 ORMA graduates made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. Academy sons and daughters continue to serve their Nation as duty requires.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Otis Yelverton
Athletic Director
Oak Ridge Military Academy
Phone: (336) 643-4131
www.oakridgemilitary.com

25 thoughts on “Coach A is on the way to ORMA today

  1. All I can say is LOL!!!! They will have more coaches than they will students before long.

  2. Congratulations Alan, I know you will do a great job. We wish you all the best.
    The Anderson’s

  3. Good luck Alan. Alan is a great guy who deserves a chance to coach. I just hope the crazy parent factor is not as bad at a private school.

  4. ORMA just hired one of the most qualified coaches in the state! Ashkinazy has been, and continues to be, the most instrumental figure in our area to help kids reach the next level. GREAT coach, GREAT individual!! Congrats to ORMA on the hire. Best wishes to Coach Ashkinazy.

  5. to Andy- How good do you think the ORMA Mens Basketball team will be the up coming season and what players do they have coming in??

  6. They could be real good with Jacob Lawson and Michael Neal back next year. Those two kids are top-notch talents and I think the ceiling is high for Lawson. He could really do well at the college level if he works hard this summer and if he has a good year at ORMA in his senior season.

    Lawson could be as good if not better than Uchebo and Lawson has always been one the best shot blockers in the state…..He needs to pick up his scoring and get in the 18-20 ppg range and he will get a good college spot.

    Neal is a very steady point guard and I have always liked his game no matter where he has been….He has to also realize that he needs to step up his game if he wants to go DI down the road. To, me Lawson and Neal play well together and they seem to know each other’s game.

    Other players might include the Carlos Rankins kid and Theo Pinson is supposed to be checking in at ORMA for the fall and he will be a freshman, but he could contribute next year if he is ready to work….I have heard good things about how his AAU team has been doing as of late…They won a fairly large tournament out at Northeast Guilford a couple of weekends back….

    ORMA is supposed to be getting some other kids in too, but don’t know about them….Hope they are not just one and done, you need kids that are going to be around for 3-4 years, so you can build a program…..

    I know a lot about Lawson and Neal and I have seen Pinson so there is a drop in the bucket for you…..Lawson could become one of the top HS players in the nation if he stepped his game up a few more notches….Lawson as a small forward with his shot-blocking ability would be impressive or if he went the other route and got bigger/stronger he would be a small, power forward…..

    There is talent there and they will need to add some quality depth……

    *****Add Asad Lamont and Chris Ricmond, both guards to the mix of players that are returning from last year’s team and both are very good….Year-round players that came back to mind…..*****

    Neal and Lamont have been playing together for seems like forever…..

  7. Lets see who transfers to ORMA now. George Carter should be the first to commit. Many Northern and NW kids will join Carter. Sawyer Highfill from Grimsley will go as well. Alan is also good friends with SE kids, SW, Ragsdale, Western, and Dudley kids. Let the transfers begin!!

  8. Al never recruited before and great kids made their way to his teams…it will fun to watch his teams now that he is ALLOWED to recruit. ORMA will be very good very fast in baseball.

  9. Maybe there is some potential radio work up at ORMA and if that means I have to do a little cleaning on the side, then somebody’s got to do it if the job description fits maybe I can get some of the kids and the parents to help me and we’ll get that place clean in no time….

  10. When are they going to form a softball team. Or is it going to be just boys only at ORMA. Good luck Alan!!!

  11. AA’s ex wife Amy is SMOKING HOT! She was hanging out at Thirsty Thursday this week

  12. to andy-how fast to you think ORMA will be good in baseball and are they feilding a team upcoming year? dont u think its gonna be hard to get local kids?

  13. Alan can get it done and there will be kids that want to join him at Oak Ridge….The hard part will be finding teams to play them and building a first-year schedule….

    Teams from the Guilford County Schools are not likely to want to play ORMA, since some of the kids will be leaving GCS and heading to ORMA….

    The road schedule will be a tough in year-one, but if they can build from there, then they will make it for the long haul……

    High Point Wesleyan, Westchester, Caldwell Academy, High Point Christian, Greensboro Day and Forsyth Country Day would all be candidates for year number one for Coach A and the Cadets….Even Bishop McGuinness might be a possibility, they are not in Guilford County….

    If all six or seven of those teams would give you a home and home spot then you would have at least 12 games and there’s bound to be some more private schools in the Raleigh and Charlotte areas that would play them…..

    The private schools should open up and bring ORMA on board for 2010/2011……Why not, if ORMA is a little weak early on, then you might be looking at a solid “W”, but don’t count on it the second time around versus Coach A…..

  14. Oak Ridge plans on having a softball team next year and they are working to finalize the details with the new coach……

  15. The word is out from an ad whom I know really well, and I have confirmed it fom two other sources. No Guilford county schools are to play ORMA at all and that per the Moester at a meeting. He said that in a public forum to principals and ads I was told. Anyone hear this?

  16. who are these kids who oak ridge is sopposed to be getting for basketball thats nasty, who is stan bringing in

  17. Andy- When I took the job at a meeting last week with Coach O and Coach K, I told them that no Guilford County School will play us but if Mo Green is actually telling ADs and Principals NOT TO play ORMA, shouldn’t that be exposed. He probably did that in basketball as well. Doesn’t Guilford County Schools have anything better to do then monitor who its athletic teams play?

  18. Alan,

    Believe me, when it hits here, it has been exposed….

    There is some heat in the June air.

  19. To answer Mr. Ashkinazy’s question, they have nothing better to do. Teachers are happy, students are performing better than other states, there are no discipline problems, the principals are all placing their students as a top priority every day, and the school facilities themselves are in A-1 physical condition. What, me worry?

  20. Couldnt be happier for a more deserving coach! I hope to get out there and catch some games, just let me know if you need some curves thrown their way! lol.. Congrats and best of luck buddy!

    M. Frye

  21. What is it with these coaches who give themselves nicknames like Coach “O” and Coach “K”? Suerly Alan does not call himself Coach “A” now!!!!!
    LOL

  22. Alan probably goes by Ash as much as he does Coach A, but the A, K and O fit well with the ORMA lettering….

    Hopefully that is A O K with everyone…..

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