Rosewood’s 71-22 win against Union on Feb. 1 was more than just a victory. The triumph marked Rosewood head coach Daniel Mitchell’s 200th win as the Eagles head coach.
“I knew it was attainable this season depending on how it went,” Mitchell said. “I feel really blessed to be able to do it this long at one school. I’m just thankful for the opportunity that I’ve had to coach these young men and try to help mold them through the game of basketball.”
Mitchell, who is in his 19th season at Rosewood, was honored for the career milestone during halftime of the varsity girls’ game between Rosewood and Neuse Charter on Thursday evening.
Getting to 200 wins would not have been possible without the support of his family, the other coaches at Rosewood, and crucially, the players because without the players, reaching 200 wins is impossible.
“I could not have done it without my wife. That’s the bottom line there. She’s been my biggest fan, supporter, and assistant coach. So, I couldn’t do it without her, my family, and my children,” Mitchell said. “We’ve had some great players over the years, and each one of them is important.”
A Rosewood High School alum, Mitchell attended East Carolina University. After graduating from ECU, he returned to Wayne County. He worked at a few schools before heading back home to Rosewood.
“I worked at the middle school for a few years, and I actually worked out Eastern Wayne Elementary when I first started,” Mitchell said. “After I came to Rosewood, I was the JV coach for a few years before I took it over.”
Mitchell has enjoyed plenty of success and made plenty of memories at Rosewood. In 2018, Rosewood won its first conference title in 21 years. The Eagles won the Carolina 1A Conference tournament twice and made plenty of playoff runs.
However, while wins and losses are important, what’s most important to Mitchell is teaching young men valuable life lessons through basketball.
“One of the conference tournaments that we won was special because we were able to beat Princeton and then Goldsboro in the finals, so I would definitely say that was a special moment,” Mitchell said. “Each season has its own set of challenges, but each year is special and to be remembered.”
And for Mitchell, what makes this season special is getting to coach alongside his son, Logan Mitchell, who is an assistant coach for the Eagles.
“It’s been great to have him,” Mitchell said. “He actually wants to be a teacher, and that’s what he’s going to school for right now, and it’s been great to have him around and learn some of the ins and outs of coaching.”
With a legacy that will continue to grow over the years, Mitchell is glad to coach at a place that is near and dear to his heart.
“I think is kind of a culture here that we’ve been able to develop through the students, players and the coaching staff,” Mitchell said.
