Soon after Title IX passed, Lowndes became a high school girls basketball powerhouse.The Lowndes girls basketball team won its first game of the 1976-77 season. Then it won the next one. And the next. And the next. And the Vikettes kept winning for a long time.The Vikettes reeled off 124 consecutive victories from 1976-80. They won four consecutive state championships. They won four consecutive national championships. For four years, they were the preeminent high school girls basketball team in the country.

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That girls basketball program was led by a brilliant head coach, Charles Cooper, a man who would win over 1,000 games in a coaching career that spanned close to 50 years. Cooper went 274-37 as the Vikettes’ head coach, an .881 winning percentage, before moving on to the college level, where he had more success. ​“Coach Cooper had some great teams when he coached here,” Wilkes said. “(The winning streak and the state and national championships) was quite a feat. That was a pretty good run.”

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The tradition of success that Cooper started in the 1970s has continued today. Lowndes’ basketball teams are perennially strong. The school’s new gymnasium is filled with banners recognizing the Vikettes’ region, state and national titles. Under current Head Coach Antonia Tookes, the Vikettes have won at least 21 games each of the last seven years, recently winning back to back region titles. With the recent departure of Coach Tookes, The Vikettes recently named Courtney Parker-Fleming as it's new Head Coach. Coach Fleming

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A dedicated educator and a passionate advocate for basketball, Coach Fleming brings a wealth of experience and an unwavering commitment to the development of young athletes.
Born and raised in Lowndes County, Fleming's journey with basketball began as a standout player for the Vikettes from 1997 to 2001. Graduating as the salutatorian of Lowndes High in 2001, she continued her basketball career at Valdosta State University, where she excelled as a four-year starter and earned recognition as an all-conference player.

 

Alongside her achievements on the court, she pursued her passion for education, completing her Bachelor of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education at VSU. She furthered her academic pursuits, earning her Master of Education degree from Troy University in 2008.
Returning to her roots after her collegiate career, Coach Fleming embarked on a distinguished teaching career at Dewar Elementary School, where she has served for the past 19 years and even earned the esteemed title of DES’s 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year.

Fleming's coaching journey began as an assistant coach for the Lowndes High Vikettes from 2005 to 2011, contributing to the team's success with multiple region championships and state playoff appearances.  Transitioning to the role of a coach for the Pine Grove Middle School Vikettes basketball team from 2015 to 2023, she continued to instill her passion for the game in the next generation of athletes.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Coach Fleming finds strength and support in her family. Married to Brad Fleming, she is a proud parent to two children, Colt and Payton, both attending Lowndes High School. Colt, a sophomore, follows his athletic pursuits on the football field and basketball court, while Payton, a freshman, carries on the family legacy as a member of the Vikettes basketball team.

Eager to return to the sidelines of Lowndes High, Coach Fleming expresses gratitude for the opportunity to lead the Vikings' basketball program. With her extensive experience, unwavering dedication, and love for the game, Coach Fleming is poised to inspire and elevate the next generation of Vikette athletes. Join us in welcoming Coach Courtney Parker Fleming as we embark on this exciting new chapter. Go Vikettes!