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Walker named volleyball coach at Smoky Mountain
A coach who compiled a solid high school record in Alabama is the new volleyball coach at Smoky Mountain.
Ken Walker, a physical education teacher at Fairview, has taken over the Lady Mustang program.
Walker will hold a meeting for all players in grades 9-12 at 5:30 p.m. today (Thursday) in the school cafeteria.
“He’s going to be a great addition to our program,” Athletic Director Mutt DeGraffenreid said. “He knows the game and is very active in playing the sport. He had some real good teams in Birmingham, Ala. The kids at Fairview love him.”
Walker replaces Tonya Snider, who resigned after two seasons and a 14-30 record. SM was 5-17 a year ago.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Walker said. “I’m not really familiar with the program, and I don’t know any of the girls.”
Walker was an assistant coach at the high school level in his native Mobile, Ala. Two of the teams he worked with reached the Elite Eight level of 6-A volleyball.
Walker revived a Birmingham high school program that had been dormant five years. He led that squad to three area championships and one Elite Eight 5-A appearance.
“We were fortunate to have a good group of athletes,” Walker said. “It wasn’t me.”
He also coached club volleyball in Birmingham.
A graduate of Troy State, Walker is active as a volleyball player. He is part of the Asheville Volleyball Club and plays two-man volleyball in the spring and summer.
The Lady Mustangs will open practice Monday, Aug. 7. Walker is hoping to have some open gyms before then.
“We want to get that program moving in the direction that everyone wants it to go,” Walker said.
Walker will be the only male volleyball coach in the Western Athletic Conference and one of the few in Western North Carolina.
“That won’t be the first time,” he said. “There are just a handful of male coaches around the Birmingham area.”
SM will open the season Aug. 22 at Tuscola.
Scrimmages are set for Aug. 12 at Franklin and Aug. 19 at Enka.
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