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June 16, 2009

Prep basketball: Hayes picked to lead Cullman girls

By Michael A. Cummings

While searching for a new girls basketball coach, Cullman High athletic director Jay Page said he was looking for somebody with the “total package.”

Page didn’t have to look far to find him.

Jonathan Hayes was named Cullman’s new girls basketball coach Tuesday to replace Amy Springer, who led the Bearcats to a berth in the sub-state playoffs last season.

Hayes has served as a head and assistant coach the last four years at Cullman. As head coach, he led the girls golf and boys junior varsity basketball teams. He also assisted Mike Dean with the varsity boys basketball team.

The hiring was approved at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled board meeting of Cullman City Schools. Hayes’ supplement will go into effect for the 2009-2010 school year.

“I’m extremely excited,” said Hayes. “I’m just ready to get going.”

Hayes is in his second stint with Cullman City Schools. After teaching and coaching JV volleyball for one year, Hayes spent five seasons coaching cross country, track and field and basketball in the Vestavia Hills system.

Page said Hayes’ varied experience as an assistant coach gave him the total package as a candidate.

“He’s had a good record as a JV coach, he’s very personable and he’s coached in a lot of different situations,” said Page. “He hasn’t had head coaching experience yet (in girls basketball), but he’s worked a lot under coach Dean.

“He has a love for the game and has a great relationship with the players.”

Since his hiring comes in the middle of June, Hayes knows he will be behind in planning for the 2009-2010 season. But the new coach said his familiarity with the program should be a positive.

“I already know (the players) pretty well from being in the system,” he said. “We’re going to have some open-gyms and some shoot-arounds. We’ll talk about a few things for implementing our system.”

Though he brings a new system, Hayes said he might borrow one tactic — the 10,000-shot club — from his predecessor.

“(Springer) had several girls reach that milestone last summer, and that contributed a lot to the success they had last year, and hopefully to our continued success this year.”

To have success next season, Hayes will have to deal with the loss of seniors Jennifer Cooper, who signed a scholarship to play basketball at Wallace State, and Kayla Dean, a Calhoun softball signee.

To fill that void, Hayes will rely on his three returning starters and a talented crop of JV players.

“We’ve got some good kids on JV that can fill some holes on a varsity team that only lost two players,” said Hayes. “I’m not going to say, ‘Fill their shoes,’ because you can’t replace Jennifer Cooper and Kayla Dean. But we’ve got some good players that can make some strides to replace those players.”

Michael Cummings can be reached at 734-2131, ext. 258 or at michaelc@cullmantimes.com

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