West Virginia governor vies for Manchin’s US Senate seat, while moonlighting as girls hoops coach
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — When West Virginia Governor Jim Justice returned to the spotlight recently, it was not as the state’s top executive. Or a wealthy businessman. Or even as a candidate for the US Senate.
The term-limited Republican was instead back on the court, guiding a high school team to the quarterfinals of the state basketball tournament.
Compared to his day-to-day duties as governor and owner of the swanky Greenbrier Resort and more than 100 other businesses, it was a breath of fresh air for the 72-year-old former billionaire who moonlights as a girls coach at Greenbrier East.
It was a chance for him to focus on a group of young players who had won 21 of their previous 25 matches. The school last won the state title in 2012, also under the leadership of Justice, who has been the girls coach since 2000. Since 1992, he has also served as president of the Little League youth baseball chapter in Beckley.
“I love my job because I get to work with children,” Justice said. “Giving time to children is precious and mandatory these days. “Like it or not, these scoundrels are under a lot of pressure these days that we’ve never had before.”
Justice has let his assistant coaches handle team practices when he has official duties elsewhere. He also served as the school’s boys basketball coach for six years before deciding he couldn’t give it the focus he needed due to his governorship.
Just the work for the girls is a challenge, “but it’s really an honor for me to be with them,” he said. “And I mean it when I say I love each and every one of them. They give me energy. They give me youth, to tell you the truth.”
The lull in politics on Super Tuesday came at a busy time and just before a pivotal point in his career. In May, Justice, who is wrapping up his second term as governor, will seek the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Democrat Joe Manchin.
But having a revolving door of responsibilities hardly deters the Justice Department.
“To be honest, I’m not going on holiday. “I don’t want to go on vacation,” he said. “I love being in this state with the people, in the schools, and doing everything they do.”
But for a few hours, Justice didn’t have to worry about the state’s finances or his own, and there are plenty of tense nerves about that.
The West Virginia Legislature was in the final week of its 60-day session. Work on the annual budget hit a snag due to serious questions from the federal government about state spending on education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Justice’s companies have been the target of attempts to collect fines, back taxes and debts. Bluestone Resources was ordered to sell a helicopter in a debt dispute involving an investment firm. And a Virginia bank seeking more than $300 million in defaulted business loans has canceled the planned auction of land along a golf course at the governor’s resort, located in White Sulfur Springs near the Virginia border. 17.7 kilometers from the high school, canceled. of approximately 1,050 students.
Justice recycles his little coach’s salary back into the basketball program. As governor, Justice has said he is donating his $150,000 state salary to his wife Cathy’s education initiative.
Known for his quirky, unpredictable speeches, he attracted national attention when he lifted his dog and showed his backside during his 2022 State of the State address in response to a comment from Bette Midler.
At the Charleston Coliseum, a few miles from the Capitol, several members of the Justice Department’s staff and cabinet sat behind the Greenbrier East bench. If Justice had security personnel with him during the match, it was not noticeable, especially not next to him.
In the student section, Parker Hill showed a cardboard cutout of Justice’s face.
“Big Jim!” Hill shouted.
At 7 feet tall, Justice towers over his players, who call the former college golfer simply “coach.”
Ben Routson, Greenbrier East’s former athletic director and now its principal, has known Justice for 10 years and says they have always had a good relationship.
“To us, he’s just like anyone else. He’s coach Justice.” Routson said: “He’s personable. He’s very good to our kids and very good to our school.”
Justice swung his left leg while sitting on a stool and put both hands on his head in frustration when one of his girls missed a layup. He did it again when another player grabbed a rebound, turned and threw the ball directly to an opponent, who scored easily. That blunder later led to a reprimand from the Justice Department: “Would you like to slow down a bit?”
Justice is especially trying to encourage a lineup full of freshmen and sophomores. “Show them what you can do,” he said during a timeout.
“He definitely gives us tough times,” sophomore Kennedy Stewart said after the Spartans’ 47-31 loss to defending state champion Morgantown. Teammate Ava Workman quickly added, “He jokes with us too.”
“They’re dad jokes,” Stewart explained, prompting a playful nudge from a beaming judge.
Justice’s daughter, Jill, played for him in the state tournament 20 years ago. She is now president of her father’s resort and a doctor at the health clinic. Her brother, Jay, runs the family’s coal and agricultural businesses.
Greenbrier East also advanced to the tournament in 2020, but hours before the game, Justice the Governor called everything off as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged West Virginia.
Stewart’s sister was on that team.
Now it was her turn.
“This is better than just looking at them. I have to play,” Stewart said. “And I’ll have that forever.”
If Justice wins the Senate seat, he plans to continue teaching young athletes despite the challenges of traveling from Washington, D.C.
“I’m going to. Somehow. One way or another,” Justice said. “If it works out that way, I’ll do the job as a senator. But I’m going to coach.”