By GARETT VALCOURT
Holmes County High School has named Brandon French as the new head coach of the varsity girls basketball team, following the departure of coach Joan Albury.
French, who has served as an assistant coach for the Lady Devils since 2019 and head coach of the school’s middle school and junior varsity programs since 2020, brings extensive experience and familiarity with the current roster.
“I’ve had the privilege of coaching the entire current high school team since their middle school years, as well as assisting the high school for four years,” French stated. “We have had tremendous success since I’ve been in Bonifay, and I look forward to the future of the Lady Devils basketball program.”
During his tenure in Bonifay, French has compiled a combined record of 77 wins and 10 losses across middle school and junior varsity levels. His teams have earned three conference championships and a Christmas tournament title.
French expressed appreciation for the foundation laid by previous coaches, crediting their efforts for the program’s current culture and success. Under Albury’s leadership, the Lady Devils made a deep playoff run during the 2024–25 season, ultimately falling one game short of the program’s first-ever state championship appearance.
With the graduation of a key trio of seniors, French acknowledged the impact of their departure but remains confident in the talent returning to the court. “Although we are losing an incredible trio of seniors, I have full confidence we have the personnel returning to compete every night against any team in our classification,” he said.
French recently met with the team ahead of the summer training season and noted their readiness to continue building on recent achievements. The team will continue to operate under the program’s established motto: “Whatever it takes.”
Coach Joan Albury, who led the varsity program this past season, will be stepping away from the role to accept a position as head softball coach at the Baptist University of Florida in Graceville
