Photo by: Michael Jackson
Oak Mountain High School Athletic Director Chris Blight introduces head coach Jason Kervin on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at Oak Mountain High School. Photo by: Michael Jackson
Chris Blight spent 10 years at Oak Mountain High School building something he hoped would outlast him. On Tuesday night, Hoover High School gave him the chance to do the same thing in a new chapter of his career.
Blight was named the Bucs' new athletics director, stepping into the role vacated by Harley Lamey, who departed for Pell City in April. For Blight, the move represents the culmination of a career that started on the soccer field in England, continued at Huntingdon College where he played collegiate soccer and evolved into something much larger.
"It's been a goal of mine to be a full-time AD at a school like Hoover," Blight said. "It's one of the premier athletic programs in the state, has an incredible history, has a great identity and I'm really excited to go join them and hopefully continue to propel their athletic department forward and build on the success that they've already had."
Before arriving at Oak Mountain, Blight built his high school coaching resume at Auburn High. He went 69-8-6 over three seasons there and also spent time as an assistant at Auburn University at Montgomery and with the Birmingham Hammers.
Blight arrived at Oak Mountain in 2015 as the girls soccer coach, spent two years as an assistant AD, then took over as full-time AD three years ago, all while continuing to coach. He leaves with a coaching record of 254-45-22, a 2021 Class 7A state championship, a No. 1 national ranking in 2020 before the season was cut short, and the fresh sting of a 1-0 loss to Auburn in last Saturday's state final.
"It's been an incredibly emotional few days," Blight said. "Obviously it didn't end in the way that we wanted on Saturday, but I was so incredibly proud of the girls and what they gave."
The Eagles finished 24-1-1, winning their first three playoff matches by a combined 23-0 before Auburn's Lulabelle Hammer scored the only goal of the final just past the 47-minute mark. It was a painful finish for a program that dominated throughout the postseason.
Even in defeat, Blight found validation in the response that followed.
"One of the things that stood out to me this past few days is the number of messages that I've received from former players, former parents, people that have coached with and have been part of my athletic department, and it's those messages that make you realize why we do what we do," he said.
He also leaned on a philosophy he set for himself when he first arrived at Oak Mountain.
"I came to Oak Mountain 10 years ago and I said all along I want to make it and leave it better than how I found it," Blight said. "I really hope that I've done that. We had some success on the soccer field and in other sports, but really, I'm hoping I left a lasting impact on lots of people's lives. That, for me, that's what made it successful."
As for his coaching days, Blight said that chapter is closed.
"No, I'm fully done. I am a retired soccer coach," he said. "I've been in Alabama for 18 years and I've coached youth soccer, high school, collegiate, coached semi-pro with the Birmingham Hammers. It's been a humongous part of my journey and one that I'm incredibly grateful for. But that's a chapter in my book that's closed, and I'm really, really excited for the next chapter."
What excites him most about the transition is the chance to be a full-time AD without splitting his focus between the front office and the field.
"The thought of being able to give 100% to being AD and doing that role is an incredible opportunity," Blight said. "My biggest goal right now is to get in there and meet every person in that building, and there's a lot of them, but I can't wait to do it."
Hoover has long been one of the state's most prominent athletic programs, and Blight said his approach to stepping into that environment will be measured and deliberate.
"I'm not going to come in with all the answers. It's going to take a period of evaluation," he said. "I want to get in there and meet everyone and learn about everything. They've got such a great foundation, and I want to come in and see how my vision and my goals and what I've done throughout my life can combine with that to continue to build on the incredible stuff."
The Oak Mountain hiring process for both his soccer coaching vacancy and the AD role is ongoing, and Blight said he plans to remain involved through the end of the school year to ensure a smooth transition.
Blight's wife, Katie, is a Hoover High graduate, adding a family connection to his new role.
"I'm going to work hard for them every single day," he said.
