By ALDO AMATO / Staff Writer

HARPERSVILLE – One of the most successful coaches to have ever graced the halls of Coosa Valley Academy is stepping down to take a job closer to home.

Coach Bobby Hughes, who took the Rebels to two state championships in baseball and one in football as an assistant head coach, said he has decided to step down after three years at Coosa Valley.

“It’s never easy leaving any place,” Hughes said. “But this decision had to be made in the best interest in my family, who I have been away from for most of my three years at Coosa Valley.”

Hooper Academy is located in Hope Hull which is about fifteen minutes from Montgomery. Hughes, who resides in Montgomery with his wife and children, said the driving distance was another factor into making his decision.

“Now I will only drive 8 miles as opposed to 80,” he said. “I came to Coosa Valley to win and I did that all in a span of three years. But at the same time, I was taking a lot of time away from my family coming up to Harpersville on a frequent basis.”

Although relieved to be closer to home, Hughes said he will always cherish the times he enjoyed at Coosa Valley. During his tenure baseball coach, the Rebels went an astonishing 108-28.

“When I got there, I had to learn a new way of coaching,” he said. “But every year brought new talent and all of the talented players contributed to our titles.”

But Hughes said as talented of players he had, what the Rebels were lacking was discipline. He said that was the most gratifying thing he could have brought a team searching to be revitalized.

“They were all hungry for success but lacked dedication and discipline,” he said. “So that is what I tried to instill, a sense of discipline and dedication and in doing that, brought two championships to Coosa Valley.”

Hughes said one of the most gratifying moments of his career at Coosa Valley was the second AISA baseball state championship when the Rebels went 42-6. But the overall improvement he saw during his years at Coosa Valley is the main thing he will take with him to Hooper Academy.

“Just to see those kids improve and giving them a chance to win really makes you feel good as a coach,” he said. “That’s something I will always take with me from Coosa Valley.”