This Week in High School Athletics: Coaching Changes, a Revised Basketball Schedule, and More

Is the New Basketball Plan from AHSAA a Positive Step?

A proposed change to the AHSAA high school basketball postseason was discussed by Thomas Ashworth of AL.com last week, and it undoubtedly generated some discussion.

It is worth reading the article if you have not already. This is the URL.

In conclusion, a group of coaches from all throughout the state has presented a strategy to guarantee that the top teams advance to Birmingham for the Final Four. The fact that some of the top teams play each other too early in regionals or even local tournaments—like the Huntsville vs. Hoover boys’ matchup in this year's Northeast Regional final—is one of the main problems with the present schedule.

In the new plan, coaches recommend ranking teams according to their wins, losses, schedule strength, and other criteria using a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) methodology. The strategy, which was developed by some of Alabama's most renowned coaches, attempts to make the postseason more competitive and equitable.

Although I have nothing against the notion, I do not think it has much chance of being approved by the AHSAA Central Board.

The current AHSAA Final Four and regional formats are already regarded as some of the best in the country. Is it possible to make them better? Absolutely. Additionally, there is no harm in experimenting with novel concepts to improve the competition.

The change from 3-, 4-, or 5-team zones to larger groupings known as "districts" or "modified regions" is another feature of the coaches' proposal, which I wholeheartedly support. This modification would raise the stakes of the regional tournament and give regular season games more weight.

Will this strategy succeed? Time will tell.

Randy Kennedy's Comeback

Randy Kennedy, a recruitment analyst and high school contributor for AL.com, is making his eagerly awaited radio comeback.

On weekdays, "The Randy Kennedy Show" will return to the air from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sports Talk 99.5 FM in the Mobile area and on the free I Heart Radio app across the country.

According to Randy, the show will include all of the typical fan favorites, such as "Lists with Chris," "Banter with Ben," and "Hicks Picks." He will interview former Alabama basketball coach and UMS-Wright great Mark Gottfried on his first show back.

The new volleyball coach is named Bayshore Christian.

The new volleyball leader at Bayshore Christian has been identified. Earlier this week, athletic director Jeff Hauge declared that Susan Shaw-Daubery would become the new head coach.

Having coached athletes at all levels, including elite club teams, Shaw-Daubery offers a plethora of knowledge. She was an outstanding player at the University of Mobile, where she assisted her team in finishing as the national runner-up in 2009. She is currently a Masters Coach with the U.S. Juniors Volleyball Academy.

Roundup of Coaching News

Justin Albert was appointed wide receivers coach at his old master, Prattville High, just one day after resigning as head coach of Smiths Station. John Terrell was also named defensive coordinator by the Lions. At Prattville, Bobby Carry is in his first season as head coach.

The new head coach at Edgewater High in College Park, Florida, is Patrick Browning, a former coach at Pike Road, which won a state championship.

Cody Hodgins has been appointed offensive coordinator by Kirk Johnson, the new head coach at Benjamin Russell. Johnson and Hodgins had previously collaborated at Montgomery Catholic.

Marshall Watts has been appointed as the next head football coach and athletic director at Fort Dale.

As Headland's new football coach, Ethan Holland is taking over.

Brian Turner has been named the new defensive coordinator for Enterprise.

Marc Sieving, the head football coach at Elba, is leaving the public school system to become the next head coach at Northside Methodist.

That concludes the high school athletics in Alabama for this week. As the season progresses, stay tuned for additional information!