Brad Meredith Named Head Boys' Basketball Coach at Edmonson County High School

Brad Meredith was named head basketball coach for the Edmonson County Wildcats on September 5, 2024.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County High School announced Brad Meredith as their new head coach for boys' basketball today, September 5, 2024.

Meredith has been involved in coaching in Edmonson County in a number of ways since 2005, including head coach of both boys and girls track and country, as well as serving in multiple basketball roles at both the middle school and high school level.

"I want all of you to know that he has my full endorsement, and I'm tickled to death that he's going to be our head basketball coach," said Principal Jonathan Williams. "We played together, battled together, and won together, and I'm excited to know what he's going to do as a leader, as a coach, and as a mentor."

Coach Brad Meredith (center) with ECHS Principal Jonathan Williams (L) and ECHS AD Kyle Pierce.

Coach Meredith addressed the crowd in the ECHS auditorium and said he was very excited and grateful for this opportunity. Meredith said he moved to Edmonson County his freshman year of high school, which was a much-needed change.

"I didn't care about anything. I didn't care about getting in trouble, I didn't care about failing, I sure didn't care about sports. Any of that stuff," he said. "I came here and this community took me in. Teachers took me in, and some of them are still here, and they cared for me."

He said coaches eventually came to him to encourage him to try sports, which led to other positive changes in his life.

"This place changed me. It turned my life around. I wouldn't be here as a teacher and coach without my teachers and coaches."

He said one of the reasons he took the job was to prove the naysayers wrong.

"People kept telling me we wouldn't be very good and about the third or fourth time I heard that, it started irritating me and it started fueling me."

He said he's going to use the doubt as a driving force to accomplish good things at ECHS.

Meredith told the Edmonson Voice his coaching preferences include being aggressive on both offense and defense.

"I want to play up-tempo and be in their faces on defense," he said. "I think with the kids we have we can be good at running at jumping, good at sharing the ball, and playing a motion offense. Obviously, if that doesn't work, we'll adjust, but that's what I'd like to do."

Coach Meredith also served as ECMS Athletic Director from 2016-2024, and head middle school boys' basketball coach from 2009-11, and then again from 2019-2024. He has served as assistant boys' basketball coach at the varsity level under various coaches and coached several freshman and JV teams. He also holds a long list of accolades in coaching track and cross country at ECHS for 19 years.

He also also served as both a special ed and PE teacher in Edmonson County Schools since 2005.

ECHS AD Kyle Pierce said Edmonson County wanted a coach that will be here longer than one year.

"I think it's important," he told the audience. "I know you seniors are going to be with a new guy and I want you all to rally around everybody. The biggest thing in this process, in my opinion, is if we've got people local that can do the job, I'm all for it. This guy knows basketball. He played here and he'll want whats best for this program as a whole."