NOTES: PIttman named Prattville softball coach; MA's Hamrick named Alabama golf assistant
COMBINED REPORTS
PRATTVILLE -- Prattville High has never been a championship contender in the world of fast pitch softball, but new coach Brian Pittman has a few ideas about how to change the culture.
“The first thing is, you’ve got to have a plan,” Pittman said. “And it’s got to be bought in not just by the players, but everybody that supports the program as well. The second thing is, you’ve got to work on that mindset every day. It’s getting the kids to buy in that you believe in them and what they bring to that program, that they can win.
“There’s going to be a standard that they’re going to have to live up to, on and off the field.”
Pittman has spent the last three years trying to build Brewbaker Tech into a championship contender and while the Rams never reached the state tournament, his work had not gone unnoticed. He is considered one of the hottest coaches in the area after spending seven-plus years as the softball coach at Southern Union Community College and was an obvious candidate to replace the retiring Chris Goodman at Alabama Christian Academy.
Goodman, in fact, wondered recently why Alabama Christian Academy headmaster Greg Glenn had not made the move and worried that a delay would close the door on the opportunity. Goodman’s worst fears were realized when Prattville High athletic director Martin Jackson snapped up Pittman to replace Caitlin Campbell, the Lions’ coach the past four years.
“Everybody thought I was going somewhere else, to be honest,” Pittman said. “Prattville came calling the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Martin Jackson reached out to me and asked if I would interested in talking with him. They put an offer out there that I really liked. My family went up there and toured and liked everything and felt like that was a spot we could see ourselves for the next 10-15 years.”
Prattville has long been considered a program that supports football and little else. In the 25 years of fast pitch softball, the Lions have reached the state tournament just five times and have gone two-and-out three times, winning one game in 2008 and 2018.
“We played them this year and, to be honest, there’s talent all over that field,” Pittman said. “I think there’s some things that can be adjusted a little bit. They were better than their record this year. They lost two seniors, but the rest of the team is back and you’ve got a great eighth-grade group that will be coming in as ninth graders off a middle school team that lost one game.”
Pittman will keep an eye on his old program as well, certain that Brew Tech has the talent to reach the 5A state tournament in 2022.
“I hate leaving Brew Tech,” he said. “I don’t know what they’re going to do, but I feel like they’ll have some candidates because they’re going to be good the next couple of years, for sure. At the end of the day, I spent three great years there, we did a lot of great things and there are a lot of great people that I’m going to miss. I’ll do whatever I can to help them.”
Former MA golf star named Alabama assistant
Former Montgomery Academy golfer Hunter Hamrick was named as an assistant golf coach for the University of Alabama earlier this week.
Hamrick, who was a four-year letter winner under Jay Seawell from 2009-12 at Alabama, replaces Jon Howell who was named the Director of Golf at Annandale Golf Club last week.
“I am excited that Hunter is going to join our golf program,” Seawell said. “He was a tremendous player for us, and I am proud of his professional career. He will add a great deal of playing experience to our guys. Hunter helped build a winning culture for the Alabama golf program, and I look forward to seeing him pass that onto our players.”
Hamrick was voted as team captain in 2012 and helped lead the Tide to a national runner-up finish at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships. Hamrick ended that season having played in all 13 events while ranking fourth on the team in scoring average (72.36) and average vs. par (+1.05). Seawell credits Hamrick for helping create the team culture that put the Crimson Tide program on track to claim consecutive national championships in 2013 and 2014.
“I want to thank Coach Seawell and The University of Alabama for this opportunity and for so much that each has given to me over the years,” Hamrick said. “I am grateful and excited to be back and a part of the program. I feel blessed to have played for Coach Seawell and I am now fortunate to work alongside him. He has established Alabama as one of the premiere programs in college golf. I am eager to help our student-athletes reach their potential on and off the course. I cannot wait to get started and become a part of Alabama men’s golf championship culture. Roll Tide!”
Hamrick was the first golfer in AHSAA history to win three consecutive state championships and led Montgomery Academy to four consecutive team titles between 2004-07.
A two-time All-SEC performer (2010 and 2012), Hamrick competed in 48 events and 141 rounds across his four-year career at the Capstone. His career average of 72.64 strokes per round ranks 10th in the UA record books, as does his career program rankings for rounds played (141, 3rd), par or better rounds (59, 5th) and tournament victories (3).
Following his final round of the NCAA Championships, Hamrick qualified for the 2012 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club and made the cut, finishing 46th overall in his first pro event. That set off a nine-year professional career which came to an end this past year.
In addition to playing in seven career PGA Tour events, Hamrick’s eight years as a professional included playing in 35 events across three years on the Web.com Tour (now the Korn Ferry Tour), 25 events over three years on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica and 12 tournaments across a couple of years on the Canadian Mackenzie Tour (now the Forme Tour).
AHSAA announces staff changes
Several AHSAA Executive Staff members will be taking on new responsibilities, announced Alvin Briggs, who will take over as Executive Director for the Alabama Athletic Association beginning July 1.
Briggs announced that current Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association Director Jamie Lee will be moving into a new role for the AHSAA to include working with all championship sports, corporate partners and managing all contracts. Replacing Lee as the AHSADCA Director is Brandon Dean, who has been serving as assistant director for the past three years.
In addition, he also announced Wednesday that Vestavia Hills High School Athletic Director Jeff Segars will be joining the AHSAA Executive Staff as an Assistant Director. Segars is joining the staff on June 28.
“I am excited to announce these staff adjustments,” said Briggs. “We are fortunate to have such a strong staff in place already. Jamie Lee brings a wealth of experience and expertise into his new position, and Brandon Dean, who has been working closely with the AHSADCA in his current role, will do an outstanding job in leading our coaches’ organization.
Briggs, who was named by the AHSAA Central Board of Control to replace retiring Executive Director Steve Savarese, is just the fifth executive director in the organization’s 100-year history. He officially steps into the executive director role on July 1.