Legendary Pocomoke Basketball Coach Gladding Retires

After 25 years and countless memories, Pocomoke girls basketball head coach Gail Gladding decided it was time to hang ’em up. Gladding helped create the Warriors into a power house program, compiling huge stats while all the while, never losing sight of her vision to help young women into strong adults.

Gladding’s basketball career began at Snow Hill where she was a standout player in high school. Following her time there, she enrolled at Salisbury University. After four years at the college level, she took her game to the next level, competing in the Women’s Basketball League, the first professional women’s league. After four season, two in which she made the All-Star team, she decided her playing days were done.

But her coaching days were just starting.

She returned to the shore where she took the head coaching job at SU. During her 3rd season, she gave birth to her first child and decided to step down after the year to spend more time with family. Then in the Fall of 1991, she accepted the head coaching job at Pocomoke. 25 years, 10 Regional Title and 1 State Title later, she capped off one of the most historic coaching careers in Maryland history.

While she will be remember for the love she showed her team and determination to win, she will also be remembered for the courage she showed during her last season when she fought threw cancer, and inspired everyone that knew her.

Congratulations coach. You’ll be missed but nobody deserves it more.