New Nature Coast leader glad he's back in prep ranks
By FRANK PASTOR and JOHN SCHWARB
Published June 17, 2004
BROOKSVILLE - Travis Priddy was watching his former team, Winfield (W. Va.) High, play Herbert Hoover during Christmas break when he had an epiphany.
While reminiscing with former players, he realized that after four years of working at colleges he wanted to get back to teaching and coaching in high school.
Priddy committed to the idea by accepting the head boys basketball position at second-year Nature Coast Tech. He replace s Rob Strong, who left for River Ridge a few weeks ago.
"It's the best situation I could have found," said Priddy, who will teach special education. "I used to teach and coach in high school before I went into college, and it's something I wanted to get back into."
Priddy, 31, spent the past two years as an assistant at Armstrong Atlantic State University, a Division II program in Savannah, Ga.
Before that, he worked as an assistant at Hastings College, an NAIA school in Hastings, Neb.; and West Virginia State College (now West Virginia State University).
He previously served as head junior varsity and ninth-grade coach and varsity assistant at Winfield High and as an AAU coach in Teays Valley, W. Va.
Nature Coast girls coach Jason Montgomery, who sat in on the interviews, said Priddy's experience and ideas on fundraising and community involvement set him apart in a pool of 60 applicants.
"He's incredibly organized, incredibly articulate," said Montgomery, who guided the girls team to the region semifinals last season. "For a school trying to build its program and trying to market its program, you can't get much better than that."
Priddy got to know several local coaches while recruiting the area for Armstrong Atlantic State. When the Nature Coast position opened, they suggested he look into it.
He said he was impressed by Nature Coast's administration and facilities and hopes to promote the program by encouraging his players to work with youngsters in the community, either at the YMCA or local elementary schools.
"This is a really unique situation," Priddy said. "I think, eventually, in time this is going to be one of the better schools and one of the better jobs in the state of Florida. It's exciting to get in on the ground level."
Priddy is staying with Montgomery and his wife, Erin, until he finds a place of his own.
Montgomery, who also comes from a college background (St. Catharine Junior College in Springfield, Ky.), showed Priddy around Nature Coast, and the two exchanged ideas Tuesday while watching the NBA Finals.
"Jason so far this past year already has done a phenomenal job," Priddy said. "I'm hoping to get to where he's at right now."
Other comings and goings:
NATURE COAST TECH: Former Division I shooting guard Haley Gilmore was hired as head girls JV coach and varsity assistant.
Gilmore, who played at Morehead State the past four seasons, replaces Chris Baker, who accepted a position as a football assistant at Baker County.
Montgomery relinquished his duties as softball coach to focus on basketball. Boys soccer coach Ron Lubosco left to teach sociology and political science in South Korea, athletic director Joy Greene said.
The Sharks also seek a replacement for volleyball coach Chris Mock, who stepped down in January to spend more time with his family and church, Living Word Fellowship.
HERNANDO: Both soccer coaches have to be replaced.
Girls coach Kristi Mule didn't have time to devote to the program because of her work as an athletic trainer and certified massage therapist, athletic director Matt Smith said.
Boys coach John Bifulco had similar concerns after taking a new job far from the school, Smith said.
Rick McGee stepped down as girls golf coach to concentrate on his involvement with the curriculum at Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology in Spring Hill.
HERNANDO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: Jim Bragg took over the girls basketball position from Susan Seidelmann, who will coach the JV.
