MEET JASON WRIGHT - ELKMONT'S VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH

When Garth Garris took over Elkmont High School's helm as its newest principal, the search for a new varsity boys basketball coach began.  Garris found his replacement in Jason Wright. The Hill Spirit, ever curious, visited with our new coach to find out more for all you Red Devil fans.

Coach Wright was born in Columbus, Mississippi and moved to Huntsville when he was in high school.  He graduated from Athens Bible School in 1997 after helping them get to the Elite Eight with a 23-9 record. Jason started his coaching career as a student coach at UAH, assisting current UAH Head Coach Lennie Acuff. From there his coaching stops have been: assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Huntingdon College; varsity coach at Providence Christian Academy in Georgia; varsity coach at Huntsville High; assistant varsity coach and head coach at DAR.

Along the way, he married Lisa who comes from a military family and whose family now lives in Ardmore. When Lisa and Jason married, they decided to move from college coaching to high school coaching in order for him to spend more time at home. The timing worked out well since Coach Wright was offered a high school varsity coaching job while they were on their honeymoon. This job took them to Georgia, where Coach Wright built a strong program over the next four years. As often is the case, the young couple wanted to be closer to home, and they moved back home when Coach Wright was offered the head coaching job at Huntsville High. Their daughter, Audrey, was born a year later.

Jason is very excited to be at Elkmont.  Elkmont's basketball program has everything Coach Wright wants:  a small school that is the center of the community and a K - 12 school so he could be involved at every basketball level from Kindergarten to Varsity.  He is looking forward to working with our youth basketball program as well as the Varsity Red Devils.

Every coach has a philosophy; something that makes them unique.  So the question is what will Coach Wright bring to the Elkmont Basketball program? The Elkmont Basketball philosophy will be built on what Coach Wright calls:

 The four pillars of success

1. Character - we will teach the importance of character and integrity in everything we are involved in.

2. Commitment - we will instill a strong work ethic and sense of commitment in each young man that comes through our program

3. Discipline - each young man will learn about the importance of discipline through consistent hard work and dedication

4. Execution - every young man will learn the importance of putting everything together through execution and teamwork

Our players will be leaders in their community by being respectful, being disciplined, having a strong work ethic, being unselfish, and being fully committed.  By establishing these values in our players, it will build the groundwork for their success as people and as basketball players.

When asked about his goals this year, Wright said, “I want to establish the principles of the program and lay the foundation for what Elkmont Basketball will become.  My short-term goal is to decide what we need to do to succeed with the players and skill level we have on the team this season.  My long- term goals are more about what can I do as a coach to improve and develop the players in the whole program from the youth level to the varsity. Basketball is a skill sport, and it takes consistent, daily work to hone and improve your skills. Those things take time, often years to fully realize.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Elkmont community, and its basketball program. I want to represent Elkmont well in everything I do."