Roderick Ford (Assistant Coach):14 Seasons

Roderick Ford, a native of Goldsboro, NC, enters his 13th season as an Assistant Coach of the Pitt Community College Men's Basketball Program. Ford has over 29 years of coaching experience, from Division I  to Junior College, and previous high school and private school stints. 

Ford began coaching as a student assistant/manager at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, coaching the red-shirt players to three intramural championship titles. There, he learned the fundamentals of what is required to be a good coach under the legendary Coach Steve Joyner, Head Men's Basketball Coach. 

During his time at JCSU, Ford was a well-rounded student-athlete who ran track and field, was a special assistant, and played football.  Ford was also active at the campus radio station, where he helped coordinate public relations advertisements and promotions for athletics and various organizations on campus. Ford had the opportunity to intern with the Pro Football league, Charlotte Barons, a few years before the Panthers team arrived.  Ford also interned briefly at WSOC television station while helping out with the Semi-Pro Football team.

Ford was mentioned several times by Mr. Ken Koontz, one of the first black reporters at WBTV television station in Charlotte, NC. Coach Ford went on to Bowie State University as a graduate assistant for the Men's Basketball Program at Bowie State University.  Coach Ford still managed to fit in his passion for basketball by volunteering as an Assistant Coach for the Men's Basketball program for one season. 

Ford spent six seasons at Hampton University as a Director of Basketball operations under the tutelage of Coach Malcom Avery for four years and Bryan Sammeuls for two years. Ford was a part of the staff that smoothly transitioned from DII to D1 basketball.  Coach Ford later attended UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina Wesleyan, and Shaw University to complete his teaching certifications and Masters of Education Degree through the North Carolina Teachers Education Consortium located at Chapel Hill, NC.  Ford also had a brief start working as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the State of North Carolina in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Ford has also coached at the High School level by serving as the Head JV Coach at Goldsboro High School under Coach Randy Jordan and helped Wayne Country Day School JV Program excel from (2002-2004). 

Coach Ford was also an Assistant Football Coach at Smithfield-Selma High School for 

three seasons. He worked and assisted in several sports camps over the years, which included JCSU Men's Basketball, Adidas, Bobby Jackson Basketball camp, Kenn Smith Basketball camp, Livingston College Basketball camp, and Nike Camp. Ford was also the Head Womens'

Softball Coach at Bowie State University for three seasons, Ford is currently enrolled in the Master's Sociology program at North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, when he is not serving as a coach for Pitt Community College. Coach Ford continues to provide valuable input in the lives of youth. Coach Ford works full-time as a teacher for  Johnston County  Public Schools, where he has twenty-two years of service in high and middle school grades. He is an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., which fits with his beliefs and values, which he demonstrated.  Ford also works as a part-time Mental Health Counselor (QP) with Carolina Community Support Service based in Durham, North Carolina, during the summer. Ford is also a member of the North Carolina Education Association, North Carolina HCA, and NHSBCA. Ford has recently enrolled in the NCCU Masters of Social Work Program, beginning in spring 2024.