Chad Prewett credits growing up in Atmore and attending school and coaching at Escambia Academy as the reasons why he’s seen success as a college coach.

The Atmore native was recently promoted by Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl as the university’s basketball director of operations. Pearl made the announcement on April 27.

“Growing up in Atmore and going to Escambia Academy, and coaching there; Atmore has a special place in my heart,” Prewett said Monday. “It’s considered home to me.

“I’m excited for the new opportunity for my family, and having a bigger role in rebuilding the basketball program,” he said.

For the past three seasons, Prewett was special assistant to Pearl after coming to Auburn following a seven-year stint at Lee-Scott Academy. He coordinated all of Pearl’s external relations and events, was the team liaison with various departments and was involved in the basketball coach’s AUTLIVE initiative, according to AU’s sports website, www.auburntigers.com.

Prewett will continue to assist in game planning, handle external events and anything else that needs to be taken care of in the program.

“It’s an opportunity for me to continue to move upward, and for Coach Pearl to promote from within his staff, it speaks a lot about him,” he said.

Prewett said coaching college basketball can be time consuming, but having the opportunity to build a relationship with Pearl has been exciting, adding that they’ve developed a tight bond and are close friends.

Prewett started his coaching career at EA, where from 1995-2004 he was a coach for the basketball, football, golf and track teams and added the title of Athletics Director from 1998-2004. Escambia was awarded the AISA Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Program in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

At Lee-Scott, Prewett helped lead the boys varsity basketball team to the 2012 AISA State Championship and led the girls varsity basketball team to four AISA State Championships in 2009 and 2011-13.

He was named the AISA All-Star Game Coach five times, was the 2009 AISA Coach of the Year and the Opelika-Auburn News Coach of the Year four times (2012 – boys; 2008, 2009, 2011 – girls). He also coached the AISA Track State Champions in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Having coached at EA helped him reach his ultimate goal — coaching at the college level, Prewett said.

“To be able to realize those dreams means a lot to me,” he said.