Paul Hatcher, a native of Bassett, Virginia, attended Bridgewater College before becoming the winningest basketball coach in Virginia High School League history. In a 43-year career at Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton, Virginia, Hatcher compiled a record of 897 victories and 174 losses, and a winning percentage of 84 percent. Hatcher coached from 1968 to 2011, and never endured a losing season. In three of his coaching seasons, his basketball team went undefeated, and he had 29 seasons with 20 or more victories. With 85 consecutive victories from 2003 to 2006, Hatcher became the Virginia High School League record holder. Hatcher’s teams won state championships in 1984, 1990, 2004 and 2005 and were runners-up five times. Hatcher has been named the Virginia High School League State Coach of the Year a total of 11 times and was a seven-time VHSL All-Star Game Coach. Hatcher has been inducted into the Bridgewater College Hall of Fame, the Robert E. Lee High School Hall of Fame, the Virginia High School Hall of Fame and the National High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame.
