Braden River, ODA swap girls hoops coaches

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Brush-Van Hoof heads to Thunder; Williams to Pirates

By RYAN T. BOYD

rboyd@bradenton.com

BRADENTON — Braden River and Out-of-Door Academy have swapped coaches.

The Pirates’ former girls basketball coach, Amy Brush-Van Hoof, was recently hired as the Thunder’s coach in the same role, and former ODA girls coach Carl Williams heads over to his new coaching gig in East Manatee.

Before the 2009 season ended, Williams resigned from his coaching post at ODA to finish his Master’s degree and apply for an administration position. A front office job hasn’t opened up, but a coaching spot became available when Brush-Van Hoof’s teaching contract wasn’t renewed at Braden River.

“When I left out of the interview with athletic director Bob Bowling, I said, ‘I hope I get this position,’ ’’ said Williams, who coached at ODA for four seasons. “Because Braden River just felt right. There were other openings out there, but I didn’t worry about those. This was the one that I wanted.”

Williams went 49-47 in his tenure with the Thunder and impressed Bowling in his lone interview.

“When he and I talked, as soon as he left the office I got up and went and told Mr. Jim Pauley, Braden River’s principal, that we had found the right guy,” Bowling said. “It was a perfect fit. A lot of times you have to go through seven or eight people before you find the right one, but it felt very good talking with him. I thought his knowledge of the game was good. He has a great passion for teaching, and I think that really sold me on him.”

Five people interviewed for Braden River’s coaching position.

Brush-Van Hoof was the first coach in school history, bringing the program from a junior varsity team that struggled because of inexperience in its inaugural season three years ago to a solid varsity squad that finished 14-11 last year.

Both coaches took over their new programs two months ago.

“This is my 13th year teaching and coaching, and I’ve never done anything else,” she said. “I started playing basketball in the fourth grade, so basketball is a huge part of my life. Coaching and teaching is what I see myself doing.”