By By Matthew Nascone
The Escambia County High School girl's basketball team snagged a new head coach two weeks ago when Todd Reynolds was hired to lead the Lady Devils to the promised land beginning in the 2006-07 season.
Reynolds is on his sixth stop as a high school coach and he came to Atmore ready to work with the current team.
"These girls were 17-7 last year and our expectations are high for this year," he said. "We plan to go all the way and we will be starting three seniors most likely."
Reynolds said he took the job because of the attitude towards sports at ECHS.
"This staff is very sports friendly," he said. "The principal is a former coach and the rest of the staff loves the athletic program and that is conducive to having a successful program. I am excited to get started."
Reynolds said the status of the basketball program at the current time is good because of the work head boy's coach Jerome Antone has put in.
"Coach Antone has really done a lot to help reestablish the winning tradition here at Escambia County," Reynolds said.
Antone has similar feelings about Reynolds.
"He is a great addition to the athletic program here at Escambia County High School," he said. "He brings a great demeanor to the program and the kids are excited to work with him. And he has had some success, so he knows what to do in those important games."
Antone said this is not his first look into the coaching style of Reynolds.
"I saw him coach when he was at Central in the state championship game a couple of years ago and I liked how he handled his team," Antone said. "I am tickled to death to have him here now and I am sure he will be here a long time
Reynolds comes to ECHS from Central-Haynesville High School, where he was the head boy's basketball coach. His record was 41-41 at Central.
He has been coaching for 12 years and has been at Paxton High School in Florida and Highland Home, Greenville Academy and Marion Academy in Alabama.
Reynolds has a playoff record of 9-3 that includes two regional appearances, one Final Four appearance and one Championship appearance.
As far as family goes, Reynolds has been married to his wife, Sabrina, for six years and they have two children, Fuller and Tucker. He is a 1994 graduate of Troy University and he played high school basketball at Walton High School before attending Troy.
Reynolds said he wants to take the Lady Devils to the promised land in Birmingham, but it will take some hard work on the part of the team to get there.
"The key to any championship run is to have the right pieces to the puzzle," he said. "I have the puzzle and now they just have to put the pieces together."