By Nathan Cavitt

nathan@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala.— When former Fort Payne Head Basketball Coach Danny Anderson chose to leave for Hazel Green this offseason, the decision was not so much about leaving behind the Wildcats, but more so about returning home.

“The opportunity came for my family and me to get a little closer to home,” Anderson said. “My wife is from Huntsville, and I grew up in Athens, so that played a big part in it.”

Anderson’s new job in Hazel Green is only about a 20-minute to Huntsville and 40 minutes away from Athens—significantly closer than the hour and half-plus drive it took him to visit family when he was in Fort Payne.

Anderson said being closer to his mother was the key factor in his choice to leave the Wildcats to accept the job at Hazel Green.

“My stepdad passed away about two months ago with brain cancer,” Anderson said. “It gave me a chance to get back closer to my mom. Just being closer to her was something that was important to us as well.”

Anderson said the move to Hazel Green would also provide him with new challenges as coach.

“The chance to coach in north Alabama at Hazel Green High School was just a good opportunity for me coaching-wise,” Anderson said. “The basketball that’s played in the area is really good basketball. It was very exciting to know that I could be a part of that.”

Anderson said he has good memories from his time coaching basketball in Fort Payne, and the hardest thing about leaving was telling his players goodbye.

“I appreciate the opportunity that I was given there,” Anderson said. “Just the support that my family and I had at Fort Payne was first class. We definitely enjoyed our time there.”

The Hazel Green Trojans are coming off a 14-12 season that ended in the first round of the area tournament in a 54-48 loss to James Clemens High School.

Anderson coached Fort Payne basketball for two years. In his first year with the Wildcats the team finished 7-21, but in his second year as coach the team showed improvement, finishing 13-15.

Anderson just completed his first week as Hazel Green’s new coach. According to Anderson, Fort Payne principal Brian Jett would more than likely start looking for a replacement after spring break.