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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

PELHAM – A familiar face to Shelby County has taken on a new role within Pelham City Schools after serving time as part of both Alabaster City Schools and Shelby County Schools over the past 14 years.

Following board approval on Tuesday, May 23, Trey Simpson has been named the new Pelham City Schools systemwide athletic director, taking over the position from current Pelham High School Principal Kim Kiel.

Simpson comes to Pelham City Schools following two years at Thompson High School where he served in multiple roles, including a spot in the athletic department as associate athletic director and as a special education teacher in the school.

Before that, he served two years as the Calera High School head football coach and has spent time at Montevallo High School as well as Auburn City Schools with 10 years of coaching experience and eight in athletic administration.

“His passion for helping programs get all the resources they need to be successful,” Kiel said. “He’s a helper, he’s a servant leader. That was the main thing for me from the beginning. Then, of course, his knowledge, his enthusiasm, he just gets it. He’s been in good programs and done some amazing things.”

For Kiel, she is stepping aside from the role so she can focus on her job as the high school principal with the goal of allowing someone else to come in and a help take athletics across Pelham City Schools to the next level.

A position she is passionate about, she recently decided that would be the best move forward to help both the high school and athletics reach their full potential.

“When I went to my superintendent and asked him and said ‘What do you think about splitting the position?’ He said, ‘Yeah, absolutely,’” Kiel said. “We posted the job, and I was able to recommend him for hire. I have already been fond of coach Simpson. I’ve known him for a long time. I always knew he was an athletic star in athletic administration.”

Kiel said she thought after her conversation with PCS Superintendent Dr. Chuck Ledbetter that it would hit her that she is stepping away from one of her biggest passions, but she quickly realized she had a different approach.

“Truthfully, I have been at peace about this,” she said. “Pelham has a great athletic foundation, and we’ve done some really good things here. It’s time to take it to the next level. Go from good to great. Being principal and systemwide AD, I didn’t have the time to dedicate to both. I know taking that role away from my plate gives Pelham what it needs to be successful. This gives Pelham what it needs to move up.”

She said Simpson will do an incredible job of helping the school system’s athletic programs grow through marketing and promotions, while connecting to the community.

“He’ll take anything that we do grow and make it even better,” she said. “We hit a home run with Trey Simpson. His wife used to work in Pelham City Schools and used to be our JV cheer sponsor. Now, they’re coming back home if you will. I’m so excited and he is already bringing a lot of enthusiasm. We’re already collaborating.”

Simpson has served as a tennis coach, a baseball coach and a football coach at his different stops, while he also served as athletic director at Montevallo and Calera before becoming an associate athletic director at Thompson.