WHAT'S NEW COACH STOKES LEAVING Dee Stokes to leave after WSSU season By John Dell JOURNAL REPORTER Nov. 30, 2009 Dee Stokes, the women's basketball coach at Winston-Salem State, will resign at the end of the 2009-10 season. Stokes, 39, says she will finish the four-year contract she signed April 2006 and then step away from coaching. "God has called me to something greater," said Stokes, who played at Wake Forest and has coached for 16 seasons. "I believe he's called me to work at a Christian school in administration. God has called me away from coaching and that's clear. "This is it for me for coaching." Stokes has a 17-69 record in three seasons at WSSU. She also was the head coach at East Carolina for three seasons (1998-2002) and has a career record of 67-121. Stokes says that last season was very hard on her but that it had nothing to do with the 6-23 record. "I wanted to quit last year, but God told me that wasn't the time," Stokes said. "I wanted to quit out of frustration, but God showed me that wasn't the time. But now is the time." Stokes said she has had to deal with many family issues in the last year or so and that they have taken their toll. "I've gone through a lot of things," she said. "I've lost my mom, my uncle and I lost my ex-boyfriend all since May. So God was preparing me for the next stage in my life and I truly believe that. "I had to get through all those things, and I'm not leaving here to get another coaching job." Stokes said she told Chancellor Donald Reaves of her decision over the summer and that she told her players before the start of preseason practice. "I still hope to mentor former players and things like that, and really that's more important than wins and losses," she said. With her decision made, Stokes says that the coming season will be a chance for her to enjoy coaching one last time. "I still want to win -- I'm a competitor," she said. "The thing that I've enjoyed is the coaching part, so every day I step on the floor this year, I'll enjoy it even more." Stokes, who has a master's degree in public administration and is working toward a doctorate in education, says she is at peace with her decision, adding: "This is a life change, not a career change."