Published: July 16, 2008 10:56 pm            

HHS stays in-house to fill head volleyball position

Assistant Brumbelow to replace Hightower as head coach

With the start of the season just a few weeks away, Huntsville athletic director Mitchell Coey decided to go with a familiar face to replace Debbie Hightower as head volleyball coach.

Brittany Brumbelow, who served as an assistant to Hightower last season, will take over head coaching duties the AD announced Wednesday afternoon.

“Well, I’m very excited, obviously, about being the new head coach,” Brumbelow said on Wednesday. “I got to work with coach Hightower last year and I learned a lot from her. She’s really built a tradition of winning here, and I plan on continuing it. Hopefully, we can carry it as far as we can go. I’m just very happy about being able to take on that challenge.”

Brumbelow, who also helped coach the Lady Hornet softball team, will get her first crack at being a head coach.

“Brittany has a real competitive fire about her,” Coey said. “She wants to win and so do we. We decided that if we were going to go with a (young) coach, we wanted someone that is familiar with our program. The main thing is she isn’t going to destroy what Debbie built here.

“The program has been very successful and we want to continue with that success. Hightower has built a program, and Brumbelow was her assistant last year. We’re hoping she can take that program and continue on. She’s excited, and we’re excited to have her here.

“This is my first head coaching job, so I know it’s going to be something new and a challenge, but I’m ready to take it on,” Brumbelow said.

Brumbelow also added that she was fortunate to have the experience of coaching alongside Hightower.

“Coach Hightower had a great rapport with the girls and a pretty laid-back personality,” Brumbelow said. “I think I’ve learned from the way she interacts with the girls and seeing how she runs her practices. I’ve definitely learned different drills. When you see other coaches, you learn different drills.”

The Lady Hornets have established themselves as a consistent winner over the past several years including eight straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the regional quarterfinals last season.

Brumbelow is well aware of the expectations for her Lady Hornet team and has a few of her own.

“Of course, we’re going to expect to go as far as we’ve gotten,” Brumbelow said. “The ultimate goal is to go even farther, but I think that’s a natural expectation.

“You want to keep carrying on the tradition that’s already been here. Hopefully, we can extend that.”

        

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