By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
The style of play might be a little bit different, but that’s about the only changes that Gary Orr expects when he takes over the Hartselle varsity girls’ basketball program next season.
Orr, the Tigers’ B-team coach last season, was officially hired May 12th to replace Greg Adams, who resigned after his 11th season as the Lady Tigers’ head coach.
Orr was a three-sport standout at Morgan County High School and spent several years coaching basketball in Huntsville before returning to Hartselle to join the Tigers’ coaching staff.
And while he might not have envisioned himself as the head girls’ coach at his alma mater, that’s just what he’ll be doing when practice opens officially in October.
Orr turned to some coaching peers while weighing his decision to take over the Lady Tigers’ program. He spoke with several coaches in the state, including former coaches Mike Smith of Decatur and Athens’ Randy White.
They all gave Orr the same advice. Take the opportunity and run with it.
In the end, though, his decision was made easier with lots of prayer. And he realizedthis opportunity was just another chance to pay back the city that supported him as he was growing up.
The game is different from what he has been coaching in the past with Hartselle’s B-team and as a varsity assistant coach. There won’t be any dunks, but the game will have the same basic philosophy: put the ball in the basket.
Orr already has plenty of experience coaching high school girls. He led the Lady Tigers’ golf team to a berth in the state tournament this season.
Now he hopes to duplicate that success on the court.
Sports editor Todd Thompson can be reached at 773-6566 or by email at todd.thompson@hartselleenquirer.com