When Parker Stewart was introduced as the new head boys’ basketball coach at Montgomery County High School, it wasn’t just his résumé that stood out—it was the message behind it.
From college coaches to NBA personnel to school leadership, the reviews echoed the same themes: intelligence, work ethic and, above all, character.
Now, as he takes over a program with recent success and strong tradition, Stewart is focused on building something that reflects those same values.
“We will put a team on the floor that plays extremely hard,” Stewart said. “We will defend, run the floor and look to use our athleticism to our advantage on both ends. We will play tough, together and unselfish.”
More Than a Hire
For Athletic Director Dustin Lueker, those qualities were exactly what the program needed.
“I wanted to find someone that would be able to prepare the young men in our basketball program for life after high school,” Lueker said. “For some of them, that will be preparing them to continue their basketball careers. Coach Stewart’s personal experience with high-level college basketball and pro basketball will help him assist those players in achieving those dreams.
“And for all of our players, I wanted to find a role model they could look up to and emulate,” he added.
Lueker said the feedback throughout the search process was consistent. “There were two common themes I heard from everyone I spoke to about Coach Stewart—he was an extremely hard worker and he was an even better person. That is exactly the type of individual I want leading our programs.”
Principal Holly Lawson saw that same alignment.
“What gives me confidence that Coach Stewart is the right person to lead this program right now is how closely he aligns with what our students and school need in this moment,” Lawson said. “Earlier this year, several of our players shared that they wanted a coach who could help open doors for them at the next level, and that was a priority throughout this process.
“Coach Stewart brings strong connections at both the NCAA and NBA levels, which will be invaluable for our student-athletes.”
Just as important, Lawson emphasized the impact beyond basketball.
“We were intentional about finding someone who would positively impact our school and our community—not just our team,” she said. “That combination of experience, connections and who he is as a person made it clear that he is the right leader for our program.”
For a detailed look at Stewart’s previous experience, see the related story.
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