November 10, 2020
For Immediate Release Contact: Steve Edwards
Coordinator of Policy and Communications
540-662-3888 x88235
Release #704

James Wood High School Names New Girls’ Basketball Coach

James Wood High School has named Sanford Silver its new girls’ basketball coach. Silver succeeds Krista Crites who resigned in September after accepting a new job closer to her home in Moorefield, West Virginia.

Silver, who was hired earlier this year to coach the James Wood High School Junior Varsity Girls’ Basketball Team, has extensive coaching experience. He was the head coach of the Wildwood Middle School Girls’ Basketball Team in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia, during the 2016-17 season. Over the next three seasons, Silver served as the varsity girls’ basketball coach at Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy and won a state championship. In addition, Silver has served as a local Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coach for more than 25 years. He is the founder of the NHB Ballers and has led boys’ and girls’ AAU teams to a total of six state titles. His AAU teams have also been national championship runners-up twice.

Silver says, “I have always had a passion and desire to coach, lead and mentor athletes. For me, it’s all about the kids and using basketball as a means of teaching them life lessons and the importance of setting high standards for all aspects of life. I’m looking forward to the challenge of leading the girls’ basketball program at James Wood and working together with the
players to build upon the success the program has enjoyed under Coach Crites.”

James Wood High School Coordinator of Student Activities Craig Woshner says, “Coach Silver has worked very closely with many of our players the past few years in AAU, and has established a good rapport with the girls and their parents. With the timing of Coach Crites' resignation and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding high school athletics due to the pandemic, we felt Coach Silver’s familiarity with many of our players and program would result in a smooth transition that we believe is most important in sustaining the success of our girls' basketball program."