McClain named new boys coach at Scotts Hill

For the past three seasons, Tracy Chandler has pulled double duty at Scotts Hill, coaching both the boys and girls basketball teams.

But now the boys team will have a new head coach in Kevin McClain, according to Scotts Hill athletic director Larry McBryde.

“It just kind of happened,” McClain said. “I live back toward Scotts Hill, and my kids are in that school system, so it felt like the right move.”

McClain has coached the Adamsville girls for the past four seasons, but he has taught there for the last 12 years.

“I have been thinking about coaching boys for the last two or three years,” McClain said. “I helped Coach [Greg] Martin here for five to seven years, so I look forward to getting back to coaching boys. It is hard because I have enjoyed coaching girls for the last four years.”

Leaving Adamsville was tough because that is where McClain played in high school along with guys like principal Greg Martin and football coach Brandon Gray.

“This is my home, and I think it is tough because of the people I know,” he said. “But I think this is better for the future.”

With one of his sons in middle school, McClain has gotten to see some of the talent that will be coming up over the next few seasons.

“It looks like we have some good kids coming up from the eighth grade, and we have some good ones back from this year’s team,” he said. “We are probably not going to go to any camps, but we will work in the gym getting our stuff implemented and the team picked. It will fly by pretty quick.”

Chandler wasn’t expected to be the boys coach for long, and the time commitment is why he decided to give it up.

“When I took the boys job, it was one a short-term basis,” Chandler said. “I have fulfilled my obligation. It is just a lot to try and do. The way I try to do things when I coach, it is hard to go into details coaching two teams.”

Michael Odom, 425-9754