Piedmont, AL – Longtime assistant under Lewis, Odam at Piedmont is promoted to lead the basketball for boys and will remain as an assistant coach in soccer under Miller
By Joe Medley
Matt Glover waited his turn and grew up behind Tommy Lewis and Jonathan Odam and was the obvious choice to lead the Piedmont High School’s basketball team for boys.
The Piedmont Board of Education voted to endorse Glover’s advancement from assistant coach, to replace Odam who resigned from coaching basketball in order to follow his Alex’s college professional career Jacksonville State University.
Glover will continue to serve as the assistant coach for football under the new Piedmont director of football Jonathan Miller. Glover worked as an assistant for Steve Smith for 17 years as a coach of inside linebackers and special teams. He has been recognized as the Alabama 3A Class 3A assistant of the year in 2022.
“We are looking forward to Coach Glover as the head of our basketball program for boys and keeping our winning tradition,” Piedmont principal Dr. Adam Clemons said.
Glover 43, who was a coach in the direction of Lewis during 12 years. He also coached under Lewis Odam for five years at Piedmont.
“I believe Coach Lewis could have the highest number of wins of any Piedmont basketball coach. I believe that Coach Odam has the greatest rate of winning ever for an Piedmont basketball trainer,” Glover said. “I am aware that there are going some expectations to meet, however the best part is that I was able to coach these two coaches for the last 17 years.
“I have learned. I’m hoping to be able take a few ideas from both of them, and then try to develop my own style.”
In the meantime, Piedmont has lost Alex Odam, the Class 3A player of the year, to announcing his graduation and the Bulldogs will be returning outstanding players Rollie Pinto as well as Ishmael Bethel to a group which made the Northeast Regional final.
The Bulldogs are back with three players from the team.
As Jonathan Odam had with Alex, Glover has a son who is advancing through the ranks. Nick Glover is a seventh-grader.
Glover stated that he doesn’t expect any major changes. Piedmont is likely to keep playing in a high-speed style.
“At at the same time, maintain an excellent relationship with your children and work to get them to accept this system” Glover said. “It’s not broken So we’ll make every effort to keep it moving.”
Glover stated that he’s learned many things from his coaches over the time. Glover called Lewis as a “genius” when it comes to analysing players and getting the most value from his players.
“He had different methods on what to do in order to squeeze the best from each player,” Glover said. “He really wasn’t so focused on his Xs and Os as he was about how to get the most of every player.”
Glover told Glover that Odam is more an Xs and Os player and “really skilled at developing players.”
Glover stated that Glover has an “fantastic” connection with Miller who was brought in to take over from Smith as head of football and athletics director. Smith also took the same positions as athletic director and head football coach at Westbrook Christian.
Miller also played basketball for the boys at Saks.
“I may be able to rely on him for guidance simply because he has basketball head expertise,” Glover said. “His approach to basketball is different, and I could depend on him a more
“I’ve kept coach Odam there, who is the head coach. I have Coach Miller, who’s a head basketball coach as well as Coaching (Matt) Deerman who has coached the girls. So I’ve got information that I can use.” It’s a great resource to More sports-related stories…]
