Haywood names Patrice Boyd girls basketball coach

After spending most of her career coaching on the middle school level, Patrice Boyd got the opportunity recently to step up into the high school ranks.

Boyd is the new girls basketball coach at Haywood after Whitney Baird took the job at Independence in Middle Tennessee.

"Coach Boyd brings great pride and integrity to an already established team and is poised to continue the transition of Haywood as one of West Tennessee’s top programs," Haywood athletic director Tim Seymour said in a statement. "Coach Boyd will provide structure and develop the Lady Tomcats into productive student athletes. Her experience as a player and passion for the game has fueled her quest for knowledge of the ever-changing game of basketball."

Boyd spent most of last season as an assistant coach under Baird.

“High school is totally different than middle school,” Boyd said. “In middle school, you are working on fundamentals and trying to lead them to a program where they can use those skills. In high school, you are more worried about winning and excelling.”

The high school job wasn’t something that Boyd wanted immediately, but she is ready for the challenge.

“I wasn’t looking for it at first, but it kind of fell in my lap,” Boyd said. “I went through the process and interviewed like everyone else. I had a couple talks with (Haywood athletic director Tim) Seymour along with (Haywood principal) Dr. (Jerry) Pyron about where they were going with the program.

“This is a blessing in disguise coming over from Ripley this past year. It was different teaching in the middle school setting. I knew a lot of the kids and their parents, but we had to make some adjustments. I am excited about this.”

Baird has helped the Lady Tomcats grow into a West Tennessee power over the past four seasons, and that is something that Boyd wants to continue.

“Of course we want to win,” Boyd said. “We want to continue the tradition of getting back to sectionals, and the goal is to get back to state this year. It takes work, and you have to start that in the summer.”

Baird and Boyd worked together for most of last season, but Boyd said that the team won’t do things exactly the same way.

“Coach Baird and I were on the same page in terms of intensity, being up-beat and being aggressive,” Boyd said. “I like to be intense on the court. We want to be competitive. There will be a few things that we do differently, but that is the case in any coaching change.”

Reach Michael Odom at michodom@jacksonsun.com or 731-425-9754 and on Twitter @JSWriterMichael.