By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

ST. MARTIN — Veteran St. Martin head coach Charlie Pavlus has one more thing to be thankful for as he sits down in his home with his family to enjoy a bountiful Holiday meal with his family today.
That’s because, late last week Pavlus hit the magical 300 total win mark at his alma mater with most of those wins coming as head coach of his Yellow Jackets, where he was a standout player his senior season in 1995.
“Let me start out by saying, you don’t get to 300 wins without having great players, great assistant coaches, and amazing administration including 17 years with principal Dina Holland that share your same vision.” Pavlus said, in an exclusive interview with SouthMiss6 Sports Wednesday night. “I’ve been blessed with a lot of talented players in my 18 years as a varsity head coach. I could list hundreds of players but I would hate to leave any out by just naming a few.”

Pavlus achieved the career milestone in front of a packed house at home late last week when St. Martin thumped Vancleave in a special Friday afternoon matinee contest.
He now sits at 302 wins after the Yellow Jackets captured two games in their own “Dina Holland Thanksgiving Invitational Tournament” Monday and Tuesday earlier this week.
It seemed only fitting that the achievement came at home on the campus of St. Martin High School where Pavlus has spent most of the past three decades.
“My family has played a major role in my career,” Pavlus added. “My wife Danielle, along with being “Momma Pav” to the players, has sat on the bench and worked the book and done her best to keep me away from the refs when I haven’t always agreed with their calls. My daughter Madison, has been our water girl, taken stats, shot pictures and everything in between. She loves this program with every ounce of her heart, she truly bleeds blue and gold. My son Kobe, has also done everything from being the ball boy to helping with stats and being the little brother to hundreds of former players to finally wearing that jersey that I once wore myself. His senior year was a special one for me.”

After a bit of a rough campaign last year, Pavlus has his squad off to a solid 10-2 start this season which in just three weeks equals the number of wins the Yellow Jackets recorded all of last season.
Pavlus credits two of his former mentors for much of his success at SMHS.
“The most important people and the most brought up names on a daily basis are Joe Barlow & Mike Perkins,” Pavlus continued. “Without the two of them, the last 24 years of my life and St. Martin Boys Basketball would have had completely different paths. I moved to St. Martin in August of 1994 and met the two most important men that I would ever meet in my life. They loved me from day one, they were tough on me, they believed in me, and from the moment I met them to this very day I’ve tried my best to make them proud.
“My whole career I’ve tried to live by my coaching philosophy. Through the game of basketball, I have the opportunity to positively influence young people. If the only thing I teach your child how to do is dribble a basketball, I have failed them! That philosophy guides me everyday and unlike a lot of people in this world, everyday I can’t wait to get to work and see my players.”

Pavlus netted his 200th victory in Nov. of 2017, and now seven years later has topped the next century total. He has not only led his Yellow Jackets not only to just over 300 wins in his coaching career, but to 12 state playoff berths and three “Elite Eight” appearances in the past 17 seasons along with four district championships.
In the 2014-15 campaign, Pavlus led his crew to a 23-9 mark and the first-ever trip for St. Martin to the overall Final Four at “The Big House” in Jackson at The Mississippi Coliseum. The 2012-13 squad went 26-5 and earned one of those aforementioned “Elite Eight” berths.
Pavlus realizes its takes an army of support to record these accomplishments.

“One more name that I can’t go any further without mentioning is Robert Scott,” Pavlus said. “He was on the Booster Club my first year as head coach in the 2008-2009 season. His son Jesse played for me and graduated in 2013. Mr. Scott was our Booster Club President for six years before he stepped down and began his journey as an assistant coach and head statistician. Mr. Scott has been with me every day in this program in some form from 2008 to now. That type of dedication deserves every bit of recognition and appreciation that I can give him.”
However, on this Thanksgiving holiday, Pavlus still returns to family to celebrate his latest accomplishment.
“Every game, every championship, every team camp, every trip to Universal Studios the one constant is my family,” he concluded. “I’m forever grateful for their love, sacrifice, and dedication for our players and their well-being not only while they are playing, but everyday after they walk across that stage as well. I love what I do, and I’m so thankful God and so many others have put me exactly where I’m supposed to be… A St. Martin Yellow Jacket for Life!”