By Stan Veitch/Sports Correspondent
It definitely has been a season of change around the Gadsden City High School athletic department, as well as around the administrative offices.
This past summer, Todd Lamberth resigned his job as varsity baseball coach, a position he held since the inception of the school nine years previous.
Athletic director Carl Hunter retired shortly after Lamberth stepped down, and Lamberth eventually got that job.
“I had no idea that Coach Hunter was going to retire,” Lamberth said. “I got my administration degree last year and was very fortunate that things came together at just the right time for me.”
Lamberth, an Etowah High graduate, has coached baseball for the past 18 years.
“I’m looking forward to the challenges of being athletic director,” he said. “I’m really excited about it and am happy to still be around athletics. Only now, I’m involved in all sports, not just baseball.”
Lamberth’s actual title is assistant principal in charge of athletics.
In addition, Craig Hines, Latoya Campbell and Adrian Ragland were all moved up from the middle schools to be new assistant principals.
“I appointed all four of the new assistant principals,” said GCHS Principal Jeff Colegrove, who came over from Etowah after Keith Blackwell was promoted to Director of School Operations.
Meanwhile, Cedar Bluff baseball coach and Glencoe High graduate Taylor Talbot was hired as baseball coach shortly after the school year ended.
Talbot coached baseball at Cedar Bluff for nine years (eight as head coach), posting a 178-107 overall record and six appearances at the quarterfinal or semifinal round of the Class 1A state playoffs.
“For me to leave Cedar Bluff took a special offer,” Talbot said. “I love everything about Cedar Bluff, but getting a chance to come back to Etowah County played a lot into my decision.”
Going to a much bigger school means more athletes and other advantages.
“We’ve got a trainer on staff, and that is a tremendous advantage in itself,” Talbot said. “With the increased weight room space and the added benefit of so many athletes, we really hope to echo the same success here as we had at Cedar Bluff.”
Also, former Southside High varsity volleyball coach Anna Johnson has been hired as the new GCHS volleyball coach, replacing Christine Ward who resigned earlier this year.
The head softball and tennis positions also came open and both currently are being handled by interim coaches while permanent coaches are being searched for.
Corbin Holland is the interim softball coach and Zack Skidmore is the interim faculty advisor position for tennis. Holland replaces Kevin Young and Skidmore takes the place of April Cannon.
“We asked Kevin to do some other things and we didn’t think it was fair to keep him in softball, too,” Colegrove said. “We decided to appoint interims for those two positions and they will coach through the rest of the school year.
“We’ll hire permanent coaches next summer.”
Colegrove noted that he was only involved in the softball and tennis situations, as the baseball and volleyball hirings took place of before he was hired.