For the first time in nearly two decades, Polk County has a new softball coach.
The Polk County Board of Education approved at its regular monthly meeting Monday the hiring of Billy Alm as the Wolverines’ new leader. Alm will replace longtime head coach Jeff Wilson, who retired in June after leading Polk County to seven conference titles and 353 wins in 19 seasons.
Alm is no stranger to Polk County athletics, having served as the head football coach at Polk County Middle for five seasons, the head boys basketball coach for four years and the head baseball coach last spring. He also spent six seasons as an assistant baseball coach with Polk County’s varsity program and served last winter as an assistant varsity girls basketball coach for head coach and wife Brandy Alm.
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“I’m very excited about it,” Alm said. “This is my first opportunity to be a varsity head coach. I’m looking forward to working with the girls.
“I’ve known all of them since middle school and I’ve had a good rapport with all of them. I’m looking forward to it.”
Alm, who currently teaches physical education at Polk County Middle, will take over a Polk program that posted a 21-4 record last season, the Wolverines winning the Western Highlands Conference regular-season title and reaching the third round of the state 2A playoffs. Four all-conference players from that team are slated to return, including WHC pitcher of the year Ashley Scruggs.
“It’s a topline program that Jeff Wilson built up,” Alm said. “I’m stepping in with some of the best players that have come through here. They just need somebody to fill in the lineup so they can go out and win.
“I’m looking forward to learning from them. They can teach me a lot. Baseball is going to translate pretty well, but about 10 percent of it will be different. I will learn a lot about that from the girls and the other coaches on the staff.”
Brandy Alm, a standout high school softball player at T.C. Roberson, will serve as an assistant coach, with Jerry Hensley returning as another assistant. Alm expects to add at least one more coach to the staff.
A native of Pine Plains, N.Y., Alm was a three-sport standout in high school. He earned all-state honors and was named the Poughkeepsie Journal player of the year during his senior baseball season.
Alm began his college career at Schenectady County Community College, where he was named the team’s most valuable player for two seasons and was also one of 23 national junior college players selected to represent the U.S. in a series with China. Alm then transferred to Newberry College, where he was named team MVP his senior season.
