Shelley announces coaching changes at Holly Hill Academy
By David Shelton
Staff Writer
Holly Hill- As preparations begin for the coming school year, Holly Hill Academy athletic director Don Shelley has announced a few changes within the coaching staff.
Shelly says Andy McLeod has been hired to fill several openings. McLeod will coach junior varsity football and junior varsity boy’s basketball, while also assisting with the varsity football team.
Wayne Modley will take over the highly successful volleyball program, replacing coach Ron Nester. Modley was the junior varsity coach last season and had a very good team as well.
“The volleyball program is very strong and should continue to do well,” said Shelley. “Coach Nester did a great job but it takes a lot of time and he just felt he could not continue to do it. We certainly appreciate all that he did for the program and coach Modley will continue to do well.”
Miriam Bessant will coach girl’s tennis this fall and Shelley is still trying to decide who will coach golf next spring.
As for the rest of the varsity sports, Shelley does not expect any other changes. He will continue as the school’s varsity football coach this fall and will coach track in the spring.
Matt Brownlee will return as the varsity baseball coach and Barry Moorhead will return as the boy’s basketball coach. Faye Hutson coaches girls basketball and Henry Lockey is the softball coach.
Shelley says the school’s athletic department remains on solid ground, despite the recent economic woes that are affecting private school enrollment across the state.
“Financially we’re okay and we are still able to provide the athletes with the things they need to be successful,” said Shelley. “Our biggest concern right now is the number of athletes for the number of sports we offer. We are always concerned with having enough to go around and allowing all of our sports to compete at a high level.”
Shelley is seeing a trend, not only at Holly Hill Academy but also statewide, where more and more athletes are starting to specialize in one sport.
“Specialization is kind of hurting us and I’ve talked to other athletic directors in SCISA who say the same thing,” said Shelley. “More and more kids are wanting to concentrate on just one sport and with a school our size, we need the athletes to participate in other sports. We don’t have enough athletes to go around as it is and when kids start focusing on just one sport it really hurts.”
With the start of football practice just around the corner, Shelley feels his 2010 squad can be a competitive unit.
“Depth will be a key and we really need to stay healthy but we do have some kids returning,” said Shelley. “I think we’ll be okay.”
