Red Bank girls basketball head coach Steve Redman, center, has been hired as head coach for the Signal Mountain boys team.
Staff photo by Dan Henry/Chattanooga Times Free PressSteve Redman has been hired as the boys' basketball coach at Signal Mountain, replacing Wes Moore, who resigned the position after directing the Eagles to an 18-11 record.
"We are extremely fortunate to have secured a very fine teacher and an experienced basketball coach from a well-respected program," Signal Mountain principal Tom McCullough said. "He'll hit the ground running."
Redman did just that, meeting with Moore assistants Butch Feher and Tony Kornrumpf on Monday afternoon and talking both into remaining with the program.
"They're going to stay. Each of them has a great reputation in the community," Redman said. "They're obviously bummed about Wes but they care about the kids, and that's exactly the kind of help I want, people that are interested in and concerned for the kids."
Redman has spent the last seven years at Red Bank, where he coached the girls' basketball team while teaching advanced placement classes in history. He admitted to mixed emotions about the move.
"As I said in my interview, I'm not unhappy at Red Bank, but there are some opportunities I wish to pursue," Redman said. "I have loved being at Red Bank and I had a great time there. I was given some wonderful opportunities. Hopefully I became a better teacher because I was around some great teachers."
Redman was hired at Red Bank to be an assistant to boys' coach John Cherne but then was offered the job of rebuilding the girls' program. The Lady Lions went 23-9 in the 2009-10 season and Redman feels there is a good group returning next season.
"It was really hard telling my [Red Bank] players," he said. "I had a great junior group coming back that I was looking forward to coaching, but life doesn't always hand you opportunities on a silver platter exactly when you want them."
Redman coached boys' teams in middle school and at Franklin Road Academy before arriving at Red Bank.
"Sometimes I think it's easier to coach guys," he said. "You have to be careful what you say and how you say it with girls. It's easier just to let guys have it when they need it."
Signal Mountain now will have two Coach Redmans. Steve's wife, Jennifer, directed the Lady Eagles to the Class A state volleyball championship last fall.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765.