First comes Samford University’s Quarterback Camp. The Red Raiders participated in 7-on-7 camp at Samford on Wednesday. Fite’s play impressed the Samford coaches enough for him to be invited to return for today’s camp.

On Monday, it’s the Alabama All Star Sports Week. Fite will be playing first base for the North in the baseball game at Riverwalk Stadium at 4 p.m.

Fite is one of 11 local athletes invited to All Star Sports Week for competition in baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, volleyball and football.

Being selected for All Star week is just more recognition for Fite and the season he had on the baseball field.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association named him the Class 6A All-State first baseman. Fite’s .482 batting average, nine home runs and 53 RBIs led the Red Raiders to a 21-12 season and a spot in the state playoffs for the first time since 2005.

“It’s a huge honor to represent Decatur,” said Fite. “I wish I could take all my teammates with me. None of what I did this season would have been possible without them.

“We had a great season, and it was because we played so well as a team. I couldn’t have the RBIs I did without them getting on base for me to drive them in.”

Fite’s season is even more impressive when compared against his sophomore season. According to Decatur coach Kenny Morson, Fite needed to make some changes in his game.

“We talked after his sophomore season about ways to improve his game,” said Morson. “He’s unselfish and was willing make changes.

“He’s always been a pull hitter. We moved him closer to the plate to let him utilize his strength. Then we worked on him not lifting the ball. We wanted him to hit more line drives. We got him to focus on hitting the ball up the middle.

“After the season started, we moved him from third to first. We felt he was a natural at first. The move helped him and it helped the team.

“Once he did all that, it got his confidence going. He started relaxing and letting the game happen. He stopped forcing the action.”

Fite is playing this summer with a travel team from Florence called the Green Wave. They have played in tournaments in Alabama and Tennessee. Last month, he played in the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Showcase in Troy.

“I’ve been focusing on hitting the curveball,” said Fite. “When we played Bob Jones in the playoffs, they threw me nothing but curves.”

One thing that jumps out about Fite’s season was his 53 RBIs in 33 games on just nine home runs. That means he was driving in runs with a lot of hits that didn’t leave the ballpark. It also means a lot of clutch hits.

“There were a lot of crucial situations when Jackson would come through,” said Morson.

Perhaps the best example of Fite in the clutch came April 16 against Brooks, a 4A baseball power. Down four runs late in the contest, Fite hit a grand slam to tie it. He won the game in extra innings with a walk-off home run.

Fite’s baseball season did not go unnoticed by colleges. There’s interest. He hopes a good showing in Montgomery can help.

“If he had a sophomore season like his junior season, colleges would be all over him,” said Morson. “He’s going to have opportunities in baseball and football.”

“I am just going to wait and see about the next level,” said Fite. “I love football and baseball equally. I realize there is a process to go through. We will figure it out.”

All-Star athletes

Here’s a list of area athletes and their schools scheduled to compete in the Alabama All-Stars Sports Week:

Baseball: Jackson Fite, Decatur; Peyton Miller, Austin.

Softball: Brianna Caldwell, Athens

Soccer (girls): Bristol Countess, East Limestone; Miranda Hudleston, Athens; Mollie Olinger, Austin.

Basketball (girls): Riley Northway, Brewer.

Basketball (boys): Jordan Gandy, East Limestone; Nathanial Potts, Athens.

Volleyball: Melissa-Paul Hill, Hartselle; Taylor Lybarger, Hartselle.

Football: Deacon Aldridge, Hartselle; Fred Rich, Tanner; Kyle Shoulders, Tanner; Greg Williard, Austin.

Contact David Elwell at 256-340-2395 or by email at David.Elwell@DecaturDaily.com. Follow him on Twitter at DD_DavidElwell.

Hartselle shortstop Brett Blackwood and Ardmore pitcher Cody Reed were selected for the MaxPreps Medium Schools All-American Baseball Team.

Hatton pitcher Hillary Carpenter and Decatur Heritage pitcher Peyton Barthel were selected for the MaxPreps Small Schools All-American Softball Team.

Blackwood, a rising senior, led Hartselle at the plate with a .488 batting average, 18 homers and 78 RBIs. He was selected as The Daily's Class 4A-6A baseball player of the year and the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Class 5A hitter of the year. Blackwood's 103 hits was also an Alabama High School Athletic Association record.

Reed, a Vanderbilt commitment, emerged as one of the state's top pitchers. The 6-foot-3 left-hander, a rising senior, finished with an 11-1 record and a 1.25 ERA, while averaging 15 strikeouts per game. Reed, who held opposing teams to a .078 batting average, was selected by the ASWA as the Class 4A pitcher of the year.

Carpenter capped a strong prep career by helping Hatton win a fourth straight Class 2A state title. The North Alabama signee finished with a 33-6 record with a 1.75 ERA. Carpenter was selected as The Daily's Class 1A-3A softball player of the year and the ASWA's Class 2A player of the year.

Barthel, a rising senior, helped guide Decatur Heritage to its first ever appearance in the state softball tournament. She led the Eagles with a .518 batting average and .608 on-base percentage while hitting 15 homers with 58 RBIs.

Hartselle shortstop Brett Blackwood and Ardmore pitcher Cody Reed were selected for the MaxPreps Medium Schools All-America Baseball Team.

Hatton pitcher Hillary Carpenter and Decatur Heritage pitcher Peyton Barthel were selected for the MaxPreps Small Schools All-America Softball Team.

Blackwood, a rising senior, led Hartselle at the plate with a .488 batting average, 18 homers and 78 RBIs. He was selected as The Daily's Class 4A-6A baseball player of the year and the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Class 5A hitter of the year. Blackwood's 103 hits set an Alabama High School Athletic Association record.

Reed, a Vanderbilt commitment, emerged as one of the state's top pitchers. The 6-foot-3 left-hander, a rising senior, finished with an 11-1 record and a 1.25 ERA while averaging 15 strikeouts per game. Reed, who held opposing teams to a .078 batting average, was selected by the ASWA as the Class 4A pitcher of the year.

Carpenter capped a strong prep career by helping Hatton win a fourth straight Class 2A state title. The North Alabama signee finished with a 33-6 record with a 1.75 ERA. Carpenter was selected as The Daily's Class 1A-3A softball player of the year and the ASWA's Class 2A player of the year.

Barthel, a rising senior, helped guide Decatur Heritage to its first appearance in the state softball tournament. She led Decatur Heritage with a .518 batting average and .608 on-base percentage while hitting 15 homers with 58 RBIs.

Less than an hour after Stephenson was hired at Hatton High, he was on campus meeting with his new players.

Eager and ready to work: Meet Hatton's new football coach.

The Lawrence County Board of Education voted 3-0 Wednesday to approve Stephenson as a health and physical education teacher at Hatton.

Principal Brent Gillespie said Stephenson also will be the school's head football and softball coach.

Stephenson, a 1984 Mount Hope graduate, spent the past five seasons at Decatur as an assistant football coach, and in 2013, he was the Red Raiders' softball coach.

"This feels like a homecoming," said Stephenson, who was inducted into the Lawrence County Sports Hall of Fame with the 2008 class. "I'm excited. There's a lot of good people in the community, and they really support the school."

Gillespie said Stephenson came highly recommended.

"I'm excited about this hire," the Hatton principal said. "I feel like he's a perfect fit for what we need. I've got a lot of respect for (Decatur football coach Jere) Adcock, and he gave Coach Stephenson a high recommendation. He brings a lot of experience to the table."

Now for the quick turnaround.

Because the Alabama High School Athletic Association has a dead week scheduled for July 15-21, Stephenson has fewer than three weeks to familiarize himself with the team before fall practice begins Aug. 5.

Stephenson said he is looking forward to the challenge.

"Any change is tough," he said. "We met with the players today and explained what to expect. To make this transition smooth as possible, we're going to keep some of the things they've got in, like the spread (offense). There are going to be some challenges, but I can tell the kids are up for it."

Before accepting the Hatton position, Stephenson reached out to a mentor and friend: Former Mount Hope, Hatton and Hazlewood coach Rickey Johnson.

Johnson, who is the middle school football coach at Muscle Shoals, won four state titles while at Hazlewood from 1990-2002.

"Coach Johnson really sold me on what kind of program Hatton is capable of becoming," Stephenson said. "There's great community support. The kids want to be successful, and they're going to play hard for school pride. This is the kind of place where you can build something special.

"Now, at the same time, I'm going to miss Decatur. I learned a lot about football from Coach Adcock, and teaching and coaching at Decatur was like being part of a family. I had a great experience there, but this was the perfect situation for me."

Hatton's head football position came open last week when Michael Hathorn resigned to accept an

assistant coach position at Pell

City.

In 2012, the Hornets finished 3-7 and missed the Class 2A playoffs.

The softball position was vacated in June when John Smith resigned to accept a job at Russellville.

Smith led Hatton's softball program to the past four Class 2A state titles.

Because Smith also served as Hatton's defensive coordinator, his departure created a vacancy on Hatton's football coaching staff.

Gillespie said that position likely will be filled July 17 at the next Lawrence County Board of Education meeting.

"We should have everyone in place by next Wednesday," Gillespie said. "Today, we wanted to get our head football coach in place, and it's a hire that I'm excited about. Coach Stephenson is from here. He grew up right down the road in Mount Hope, so he understands the community. I know he's going to do a great job."

Contact Justin Graves at 256-340-2460 or by email at jgraves@decaturdaily.com. Follow on Twitter @DecaturPreps.

Less than an hour after Stephenson was hired at Hatton High, he was on campus meeting with his new players.

Eager and ready to work: Meet Hatton's new football coach.

The Lawrence County Board of Education voted 3-0 today to approve Stephenson as a health and physical education teacher at Hatton. Principal Brent Gillespie said Stephenson also will be the school's head football and softball coach.

Stephenson, a 1984 Mount Hope graduate, spent the past five seasons at Decatur as an assistant football coach, and in 2013, he was the Red Raiders' softball coach.

"This feels like a homecoming," said Stephenson, who was inducted into the Lawrence County Sports Hall of Fame with the 2008 class. "I'm excited. There's a lot of good people in the community, and they really support the school."

Gillespie said Stephenson came highly recommended.

"I'm excited about this hire," the Hatton principal said. "I feel like he's a perfect fit for what we need. I've got a lot of respect for (Decatur football coach Jere) Adcock, and he gave Coach Stephenson a high recommendation. He brings a lot of experience to the table."

Now for the quick turnaround.

Because the Alabama High School Athletic Association has a dead week scheduled for July 15-21, Stephenson has less than three weeks to familiarize himself with the team before fall practice begins Aug. 5.

Stephenson said he is looking forward to the challenge.

"Any change is tough," he said. "We met with the players today and explained what to expect. To make this transition as smooth as possible, we're going to keep some of the things they've got in, like the spread (offense). There are going to be some challenges, but I can tell the kids are up for it."

Before accepting the Hatton position, Stephenson reached out to a mentor and friend: Former Mount Hope, Hatton and Hazlewood coach Rickey Johnson.

Johnson, who is the middle school football coach at Muscle Shoals, won four state titles while at Hazlewood from 1990-2002.

"Coach Johnson really sold me on what kind of program Hatton is capable of becoming," Stephenson said. "There's great community support. The kids want to be successful, and they're going to play hard for school pride. This is the kind of place where you can build something special.

"Now, at the same time, I'm going to miss Decatur. I learned a lot about football from Coach Adcock, and teaching and coaching at Decatur was like being part of a family. I had a great experience there, but this was the perfect situation for me."

Hatton's head football position came open last week when Michael Hathorn resigned to accept an assistant coach position at Pell City. In 2012, the Hornets finished 3-7 and missed the Class 2A playoffs.

The softball position was vacated in June when John Smith resigned to accept a job at Russellville. Smith led Hatton's softball program to the last four Class 2A state titles.

Because Smith also served as Hatton's defensive coordinator, his departure created a vacancy on Hatton's football coaching staff. Gillespie said that position likely will be filled July 17 at the next Lawrence County Board of Education meeting.

"We should have everyone in place by next Wednesday," Gillespie said. "Today, we wanted to get our head football coach in place, and it's a hire that I'm excited about. Coach Stephenson is from here. He grew up right down the road in Mount Hope, so he understands the community. I know he's going to do a great job."

Contact Justin Graves at 256-340-2460 or by email at jgraves@decaturdaily.com.

Meredith Qualls contributed to this article.

The first question: How was the defender across the line of scrimmage lined up?

The teenager talking with Curd says, “A three technique,” but the play’s result says otherwise.

“Sometimes kids get a little confused about what they saw on the field,” Curd said Tuesday. “In those instances, we’re not able to find out what really happened until we break down the game film on Saturday morning.”

That used to be the case.

A new rule passed by the National Federation of High Schools in January allowing the use of video and still photographs on the sideline could change the way football coaches make in-game adjustments on Friday nights.

“Right now, we’re still in the information gathering stages, but we’re going to find a way to incorporate this technology into how we coach,” Curd said.

In the past, coaches relied heavily on feedback from players. Now, instead of asking an offensive linemen how the defender across from him was lined up, coaches like Curd can refer to a photograph or video shot from an iPad on the sideline to make the necessary adjustments.

“How this affects the game is going to be interesting,” Curd said. “Finding out what works, what doesn’t and what’s feasible, that’s what every coach in the state is going to spend the next two months weeding through. I know here at Danville, we’re going to use our fall scrimmages and preseason game to experiment and find out what works for us.”

In Alabama, high school football is a competitive business. Fans pack stadiums. Communities rally around their teams. Coaches’ careers teeter on wins and losses.

So, when high school football season begins in late August, expect to see digital devices, like iPads and camcorders with closed-circuit feeds, incorporated into teams’ game-night gear.

“It’s going to change the way we have to do things,” Athens coach Allen Creasy said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

Integrity of the game

All five coaches contacted Tuesday said they plan to use at least some aspect of the new rule. All five also shared one common concern:

A new way for opposing teams to steal information from across the field.

“That’s my biggest concern,” Austin coach Jeremy Perkins said. “What’s going to stop teams from filming coaches from across the sideline, and by halftime, they’ve got your signals. As a coach, on Friday nights you already have a ton on your plate, now you have to worry about keeping the other team from stealing your signals. I’m afraid this could hurt the integrity of football.”

Creasy agreed.

“It opens a window for a lot of problems,” he said. “Someone can send a coach a week ahead and get all of your signals. I hope that’s not what people resort to, but that’s what you have to expect.”

Cost efficiency

With the start of fall practice less than a month away, coaches, school athletic directors and booster clubs are using financial budgets to address team needs.

As the numbers are crunched, how much of those budgets need to be earmarked for digital technology?

Because of the unknowns with this new NFHS rule, such as cost versus effectiveness, most coaches aren’t sure exactly how much money — and time — should be devoted to in-game digital technology.

“I’m not sure how much we could even benefit from having access to video on the sideline and in the locker room at halftime,” Decatur coach Jere Adcock said. “When does it become information overload? Try to do too much, and it what sounds like an advantage becomes more of a burden.”

Adcock said Decatur likely will incorporate some aspects of the new rule this fall, but he believes the Red Raiders will use more still photography than video.

“I think still photos are something that could be effective,” he said. “As for video, to make that work you’ve got to have manpower. You’ve got have someone to shoot film and break it down. Unless you have a really large coaching staff or the money to hire someone to handle the film, then it’s not going to help you at all.

“Honestly, I don’t like this new rule. With this, the rich just got richer. Whatever happened to coaching the kids and letting them execute?”

Perkins agreed.

“There are teams with unlimited resources and manpower, and they’re going to be ahead of the curve with this,” he said. “We’ll probably use some still photography for the purpose of adjusting to pre-snap formations, but we don’t have the staff numbers to spend on using film on the sideline.

“I’ve got a lot of concerns. From the information I’ve seen, this is basically no-holds barred, and I’m worried that it could hurt the integrity of the game.”

Contact Justin Graves at 256-340-2460 or by email at jgraves@decaturdaily.com. Follow on Twitter @DecaturPreps.

Brent Gillespie is spending the summer searching for a new football

coach.

Hatton football coach Michael Hathorn submitted his resignation

Tuesday to accept an assistant coach position at Pell City.

In one season under Hathorn, 26, the Hornets finished with a 3-7

record and missed the Class 2A playoffs.

Gillespie said the head football job, along with an in-school

suspension teacher position, were posted Tuesday. Hatton also has a

physical education teacher unit available.

According to the Lawrence County Schools website, the supplement

for a head football coach is $5,718.

"I hate that Coach Hathorn is leaving, but I also

understand," Gillespie said. "Some things worked out for

him and his family where they needed to move. That's the nature

of the coaching business."

Hathorn's departure creates two vacancies on Hatton's

football coaching staff. Defensive coordinator John Smith resigned

last month to take a job as Russellville's softball coach.

Smith won four Class 2A softball state titles while at Hatton.

According to the Lawrence County Schools website, the supplement

for an assistant football coach is $2,566, and the supplement for a

head softball coach is $2,292.

Gillespie said he hopes to have all coaching positions filled

"sooner rather than later." According to Alabama High

School Athletic Association rules, teams can begin fall football

practice Aug. 5.

"The board understands our situation and knows that we need

to get these positions filled," Gillespie said. "Right

now, our summer schedule for football is set, and we've got

assistant coaches who will run those workouts. I plan to start

interviewing candidates for the softball job next week, and when the

posting for the football job comes down, hopefully we'll be

able to move quickly."

Lawrence County Schools superintendent Heath Grimes said the

school board has scheduled a meeting for July 10 to address one of

Hatton's vacancies. Grimes said the other position could be

filled July 17 or Aug. 1.

"One of the primary items on the agenda for the July 10

meeting is to hire someone at Hatton," Grimes said. "Because

the teaching position has to be posted for 14 days, we can't

fill the other spot until later in the month, but we do expect to

have everyone in place by the start of football practice.

"This is a small time frame we're dealing with, but

there's a chance we might could get a football coach in the

first hire. It just depends on who the candidates are."

Contact Justin Graves at 256-340-2460 or by email at

jgraves@decaturdaily.com.

Follow on Twitter @DecaturPreps.

Hatton football coach Michael Hathorn submitted his resignation today to accept an assistant coach position at Pell City.

In one season under Hathorn, 26, the Hornets finished 3-7 and missed the Class 2A playoffs.

Gillespie said the head football coaching job, along with an in-school suspension teacher position, were posted today. According to the Lawrence County Schools website, the supplement for a head football coach is $5,718.

"I hate that Coach Hathorn is leaving, but I also understand," Gillespie said. "Some things worked out for him and his family where they needed to move. That's the nature of the coaching business."

Hathorn's departure creates two vacancies on Hatton's football coaching staff. Defensive coordinator John Smith resigned last month to take a job as Russellville's softball coach. Smith won four Class 2A softball state titles while at Hatton.

According to the Lawrence County Schools website, the supplement for an assistant football coach is $2,566, and the supplement for a head softball coach is $2,292.

Gillespie said he hopes to have all coaching positions filled "sooner rather than later." Alabama High School Athletic Association teams can begin fall football practice Aug. 5.

"The board understands our situation and knows that we need to get these positions filled," Gillespie said. "Right now, our summer schedule for football is set, and we've got assistant coaches who will run those workouts. I plan to start interviewing candidates for the softball job next week, and when the posting for the football job comes down, hopefully we'll be able to move quickly."

A phone call from a Division I baseball coach.

South Alabama was the first Division I baseball program to make a firm play for Blackwood, a talented rising shortstop.

Mississippi State, UAB and Jacksonville State followed suit later Monday afternoon, and more are expected to join the sweepstakes in the near future.

Now that July has arrived, Blackwood's college recruitment is gaining steam. According to NCAA rules, Monday was the beginning of a recruiting period where Division I baseball coaches are permitted to contact rising seniors on the phone for the first time.

Before July 1, NCAA baseball coaches' contact with potential recruits was limited to mail, email and unofficial visits. Potential recruits, who were not already seniors in high school, were allowed to call coaches only at their own expense.

"Getting that first call was pretty cool," said Blackwood, who last season was selected as the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Class 5A Hitter of the Year. Blackwood led Class 5A state champion Hartselle with a .488 batting average with 18 home runs. His 103 hits was an Alabama High School Athletic Association record.

"South Alabama was the first to call," Blackwood added. "The coach said they were really interested in me, and that if I came down on an official visit, they would give me a firm offer."

On Monday, Blackwood received four phone calls from Division I coaches, and his Vipers travel baseball coach got a call from Tennessee requesting Blackwood's contact information. The Hartselle star also filled out a Major League Baseball amateur draft card last week after talking with a Seattle Mariners scout.

For Blackwood, now comes the hard part: scheduling official visits and making a decision as firm offers are extended. The NCAA allows potential recruits to take five official visits during their senior year.

"Where I take my officials at, that's something me and my family will sit down and decide," said Blackwood, who is opting not to play his senior football season at Hartselle. He would have been a contender for the Tigers' starting quarterback job.

"A lot of stuff is happening really fast. It's a lot of information. The whole process is exciting, but I hope to have a commitment sooner than later. I'm hoping to have my recruitment closed by the start of school."

Recruiting season

In Lawrence, Limestone and Morgan counties, Blackwood isn't alone. Now that the NCAA contact period has arrived for basketball, baseball and softball, several area student-athletes find themselves making important life decisions.

That includes Austin basketball standout Camron Reedus.

Reedus, a rising junior, has spent most of the summer in the AAU basketball circuit. Coming off a strong sophomore season at Austin, the 6-foot-3 combo guard has raised his stock this offseason while playing for the Alabama Express in high-profile showcase tournaments in Birmingham and Nashville.

According to NCAA rules, June 15 was when college basketball coaches could begin calling rising juniors, and Reedus' phone has been ringing.

According to Reedus, Auburn was the latest to call. He heard from them Friday. Reedus said he also has been contacted by coaches from Western Kentucky, Belmont, Morehead State, South Florida, Mississippi State, Houston and Marquette.

Reedus does not have a firm offer, but said Western Kentucky and Morehead State "have shown strong interest."

"My AAU team has played some really good tournaments where there's usually a lot of college coaches there watching," Reedus said. "I've gotten a lot of good feedback. Most of the coaches who have talked to me say they like my shot, and they like that I can play both point guard and shooting guard. What I keep hearing is that if I continue to prove that I can make shots, then I'll get a firm offer."

Sound stressful?

"It is a lot of pressure, but then again, it isn't," Reedus said. "Growing up, this has been my dream. I've devoted a lot of time to basketball, and I have faith in my ability out there on the court. Knowing that coaches are always out there watching and evaluating you, there is some added pressure, but I like that part of it."

With area schools, the 2014 and 2015 classes are flush with basketball and baseball talent. Ardmore left-handed pitcher Cody Reed, a 6-foot-3 rising senior, has given Vanderbilt a commitment, picking the Commodores over Alabama and Ole Miss.

In basketball, Athens rising senior Nathanial Potts, a 6-foot shooting guard, has drawn attention from some Division II and small Division I programs. Two rising junior post players, Athens' Trey Potts and Austin's Josh Pearson, also have been labeled as possible small Division I baseball prospects.

The right sport

One of the area's most intriguing basketball players may not be taking his game to the college hardwood. Football could be his ticket.

East Limestone's Jordon Gandy, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, is a possible Division II or small Division I basketball prospect, but now that he has returned to the football field, several Division I football coaches have been showing up in Capshaw.

According to East Limestone football coach Jeff Pugh, Auburn, Jacksonville State, South Alabama and Alabama A&M have invited Gandy to attend camps this summer. He's attending a camp at Alabama later this month.

As a basketball player, Gandy averaged more than 20 points per game during his sophomore and junior seasons, leading East Limestone to an appearance in the Class 5A Northwest Regional last season.

Gandy played football at East Limestone as a freshman, but didn't play as a sophomore or junior. Pugh said Gandy will be a starter at wide receiver this fall.

"That guy can go up and get a football," Pugh said. "He looked great in our spring game, and he's looked great in our 7-on-7 camps. The college coaches we've had on campus all have said they love him. He can play receiver or safety, and with his speed and build, he's going to get an opportunity to play (in college) on Saturdays. It's just a matter of where."

Contact Justin Graves at 256-340-2460 or by email at jgraves@decaturdaily.com. Follow on Twitter @DecaturPreps.

His Black Bears girls basketball team advanced to the Northwest Regional in Hanceville.

His Black Bears softball team made an unexpected run to the state tournament in Montgomery.

After it was all said and done, Hamilton sat down for some reflection. The veteran coach decided he couldn't do both any longer. After two seasons of leading both programs, he's giving up the softball position.

"It's just not fair to either sport," said Hamilton. "There was too much overlap. When basketball ended, we would already be behind in softball. If I tried to do anything with softball in the fall, it took away from basketball.

"I put a lot of thought in this decision. I just can't continue to do both programs justice. I enjoy softball. It's a great group of girls. I enjoyed the softball, but I just want to continue as the girls basketball coach."

"Coach Hamilton did a phenomenal with the softball program," said Austin principal Dr. Don Snow. "I would love for him to stay as head coach, but it's not fair to him or the girls in both programs.

"The softball program is a high priority at Austin. We will find the best possible person to be the softball coach. We will find a coach committed to the continued success of the softball program."

The Austin basketball team lost just two starters from a team that went 23-8 after losing to Hoover in the Northwest Regional. Starters, Aaliyah Rice, Tyra Johnson and Katie Speagle return. Rice will be a junior. Johnson and Speagle will be sophomores. There is experience coming off the bench. All that spells potential for a big season in 2013-2014.

Austin's softball team went 33-11 in 2012 and finished just 25-23-1 this spring, but the Black Bears had an amazing finish. The Black Bears upset Florence for the Area 16 title, used a dramatic home run to beat Buckhorn in the North Regional and earned the program's first state tournament bid since the late 1990s. Anna Leigh Mitchell who pitched all the innings for Austin in the postseason run returns for her junior season.

"Yes, we had a slow start, but we really jelled at the right time," said Hamilton. "We played really well late when it counted most. A lot of the credit goes to my assistant coaches, Jake Miles and Matt Praytor.

"This job has a lot of positive things going for it. It's a good job and I want to see the program have continued success."

Contact David Elwell at 256-340-2395 or by email at David.Elwell@DecaturDaily.com or on Twitter at DD_DavidElwell.