KINGS MOUNTAIN — One of NCHSAA volleyball’s more stable programs over the past few years has selected a proven winner as its next head coach.
The Kings Mountain volleyball team named longtime Gaston Day coach Derek Bing its new head coach during a press conference Monday, March 16, at Donald Parker Gymnasium.
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“We performed well (on Gaston Day),” Bing said. “We had three daughters graduate from there; all three of them played for me. We had players, coaches, families, administrators who really supported us and were great to our family. I’m so grateful for them. My wife still works there; we will always love that school and support it.
“But we are connected to Kings Mountain for a reason. It is very clear to me and undeniable that now is the right time to take the right action.”
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Bing added: “The preparation (the Kings Mountain administrators) had when we got together, the questions they asked and the way they answered my questions showed me that volleyball is absolutely a priority here and that our vision for the program is completely aligned.”
The Kings Mountain volleyball team announced Derek Bean (center) as its new head coach on March 16, 2026. Here he is pictured with principal Melissa Wilson and athletic director Kevin Crews.
Bing succeeds Heather Pasour, who served as the Mountaineers’ volleyball coach for the past decade. During her tenure, Kings Mountain has won a total of 232 games in addition to eight sectional titles and the 2023 NCHSAA 3A state championship.
At a similar time, Bing was turning Gaston Day volleyball into a powerhouse. Over the past decade, the Spartans have won NCISAA 2A championships in 2021, 2024 and 2025, in addition to three other state finals appearances and five league championships.
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“(Bing) brings a remarkable record of success, player development and leadership that has been built over the years,” Kings Mountain athletic director Kevin Crews said. “For the past 10 seasons, Bing has been the head coach at Gaston Day School, where he built one of the premier volleyball programs in the area.”
Bean acknowledged his record of success while wearing one of the three state championship rings he won on Gaston Day. However, the new Kings Mountain volleyball coach is letting it be known that it doesn’t have to be about the end goal; instead, such success comes from doing the right things all the time.
“(Winning a state championship) is a byproduct of always doing the right things the right way,” he said. “When I finally understand that every day we come in here is special because it’s just another day in the gym, doing what we’re supposed to do the way we’re supposed to do it, that’s when we start building a path to success.
“I want to be very clear; as much as Kings Mountain has a great history and I have a great history, we are definitely not defending anything. We are attacking, pursuing relentlessly, and building the program we want.”
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Bing said that under his watch, Kings Mountain plans to achieve such lofty goals amid a tough schedule, even if it means hitting some bumps along the way.
“That’s the way we want it. I’m very opposed to cheap wins just to deliver another cheap meal, another cheap T-shirt and another cheap Instagram post,” he added. “So we’re definitely going to have a hard time building it up and getting ready, not going for the record.”
This article originally appeared in the Shelby Star: Kings Mountain volleyball names Derek Bean as new head coach
