‘She put something in all of us’: Legendary York SC hoops coach Arsonia Stroud dies at 72

Arsonia Stroud may have been best known as a hall of fame basketball coach at York Comprehensive High School.

But those who played and worked for her said Stroud’s ambition wasn’t just sports titles and trophies — she taught life.

They say, Stroud wanted her players to excel at whatever they did years after the grueling practices, the joy of teen-aged wins and the tears of losses.

“She was an amazing person,” Ivory Latta, a ESPN analyst who played for Stroud, told The Herald. “Both on and off the court, she taught us about life.”

Stroud, a Chester County native, died at Monday at her Rock Hill home, according to the York County Coroner and an obituary from Chris King Memorial Chapel. She was 72.

Latta, now 39, credited Stroud with helping her basketball and life success. Stroud always demanded that she remain humble, Latta said.

Under Stroud’s tutelage, Latta became the highest scoring player in South Carolina history in both male and female categories. Latta scored over 4,000 career points in high school and had an incredible 70 points in one game.

“She helped make me the person I am today,” Latta said.

While her obit didn’t list many relatives, The Herald reached her nephew, Mervin Williams of Columbia. He, said her life was devoted to helping others find the greatness inside each person.

“She wanted all of us, her family, her players, her students, to succeed in life,” Williams said. “She talked about how we all could be good human beings. How we could care for each other and lift each other up.”

Stroud worked at the York School district for 34 years until she retired in 2014, according to the school district She also served as a Substance Abuse Prevention Counselor, Life Development Coach. Her passions included coaching track and girls basketball.

Her basketball teams won five region championships, and won a state championship in 2002, the school district said.

In 2002 when she was honored as South Carolina coach of the year, Stroud told The Herald her role was to help students and players dare to be great.

“I yell at them. I push them. I try to bring out the best in them,” Stroud said in a March 2002 story. “But most of all I love them, and I tell my players if they work hard good things will come their way.”

In 2006, she was voted into the York County Sports Hall of Fame and in 2021 was chosen for the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame.

Paula Blackwell, an assistant for Stroud before later serving as head coach herself, said Stroud was the most selfless person she has ever known. Stroud cared for students and was committed to their achievement as people, Blackwell said.

“She touched so many lives,” said Blackwell, who retired from teaching earlier this year. “She put something in all of us.”

Stroud graduated from Finley High School in Chester — the high school for African-American students before integration — then graduated from Winthrop University.

Jerry Kemp, another York teacher and an assistant football coach, said Stroud was a mentor to other coaches and school district staff. Kemp said Stroud’s death has been emotional for so many people whose lives were made better by Stroud’s devotion to the community and young people.

“She was a very special person and a great lady,” Kemp said.

Pierre King, a York Police Department school resource officer at York schools, said Stroud’s legacy of achievement and helping all succeed remains at York a decade after she retired.

Chris King Memorial Chapel expects to announce arrangements at a later date.