New Battle Creek High names Justin Burum, former Shelbyville assistant, first football coach

Battle Creek High School, the new Spring Hill school set to open in the fall, has hired its first football coach.

Justin Burum, a former Shelbyville assistant and most recently an associate head coach in Georgia, has been named Battle Creek's first head football coach.

"I think it's going to be great ... I love the area, I really love Maury County, it's going to be a special place," Burum said. "(The) kids are going to be really, really great there. Spring Hill is a great area, it's booming, it's expanding so fast ...

"Battle Creek's a brand new school, it's going to have all shiny, glittery new objects and it's going to attract people. I got a staff that plans on developing the kids and turning the boys into men. Making some big, strong, fast, physical kids. And that's kind of going to be our mantra on the field."

Burum's hiring comes on the heels of the school naming current Spring Hill coach Paul Lamm its baseball coach and Donnie Chambers the basketball coach.

Battle Creek principal Mike Kinnard said Burum’s ability to build athletes into well-rounded people played a major role in the decision.

“I think just his commitment to building the entire student, not just athletically, but academically also,” Kinnard said. “He really puts a lot emphasis on academics, helping them grow as young men, and also as football players.”

Burum spent two years as a Shelbyville assistant before moving to Georgia in 2021, where he most recently was the offensive coordinator at Hardaway High School. Prior to that he worked as an assistant coach at Valdosta High School.

With only freshman and sophomores attending Battle Creek in its first year, the football team will compete at the junior varsity level with plans to move up to varsity in the program's second year. Burum is currently in the process of finalizing his coaching staff.

More:Longtime Spring Hill coach Paul Lamm departing to build Battle Creek baseball from scratch

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Meet Battle Creek's most recent coaching hires

In addition, Battle Creek has made two more athletic hires ahead of opening this fall.

Jay Bennett has been named the school's volleyball coach, after a two-year stint as an assistant with Columbia Central. Bennett will have Battle Creek Middle volleyball coach Lindsey Eastland as one of his assistant coaches with additional assistants set to be finalized in the coming weeks.

“If I had to narrow it down to one thing, I'd say I'm just looking forward to pouring into this community, pouring into these girls. I've really enjoyed doing that at (Columbia) Central," Bennett said. "And, I mean, that's a big reason why I got into coaching, pouring into both the community and the smaller community of the team.”

Battle Creek has also hired Jessica Holtz as its cross country coach. Holtz previously coached cross country at Battle Creek Middle.