By By Adrienne McKenzie
B. Ray Greer was the JV girls' basketball coach at Bob Jones High School in Huntsville for 13 years before he was promoted to the varsity job in 2006-07 after the current coach left. He led the Lady Patriots to the Elite 8 last year in Class 6A.
Greer's success with the team was apparently not good enough for him to keep the job as the head varsity job, but Bob Jones loss is Escambia County High School's gain. Greer will lead the Lady Blue Devils in the 2007-08 season. He was hired June 11 at the Escambia County School Board meeting.
"I did not get the nod for the head job again and I did not want to quit as a varsity coach, so I put my resume on the Internet and that is when I got a call from coach (Kyle) Davis," Greer said.
Greer said he wanted to continue coaching at the varsity level and he came down for an interview and was offered the job on the spot.
"I was a Blue Devil in high school, so I knew this could work out," Greer said.
Greer was a St. John High School Blue Devil.
The Lady Blue Devils made the Southeast Regional final last year under the direction of first-year head coach Todd Reynolds, but Reynolds moved to a school closer to his home in the Greenville area.
Greer said the transition to his style of play for the Lady Blue Devils should be a simple one.
"Coach Reynolds was present during my interview here and I found out we play similar styles of defense," Greer said. "We are both defense first type guys and our offenses are very simple to learn."
The Lady Blue Devils lost three seniors to college after last season, but Greer said based on what he has seen so far, the team should be OK.
"So far I have only seen Courtney English in action," he said. "I may not have seen the rest of the girls, but Courtney seems to be a good start."
In the classroom Greer will teach English and he may be involved with the drama program at ECHS.
Greer said any girl interested in trying out for the team during the summer could come to the summer workouts on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call Greer for more information at 256-337-8727.