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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hoover Athletic Director Harley Lamey speaks to guests as 22 student athletes were recognized on National Signing Day at Hoover High School on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
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Photo by Kyle Parmley
Mr./Miss Basketball Banquet
Hoover athletic director Harley Lamey, Khloe Ford and head coach Krystle Johnson at the ASWA postseason basketball banquet on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery. Photo by Kyle Parmley.
After five years at Hoover High School and the last three as the athletic director, the time for the next chapter of Harley Lamey’s career has arrived.
Lamey announced April 15 his intention to step down at the conclusion of the school year. On April 16, Lamey was introduced as the new athletics director at Pell City High School.
Lamey came to Hoover in 2021 as the head wrestling coach, fulfilling a career goal he had long chased. Before arriving, he spent 15 years coaching at Piedmont and four years at Vestavia Hills, building a resume that quietly pointed toward something bigger. When the athletic director position opened in 2023, Lamey got the opportunity to step into the role. He followed Andy Urban, who is now the Mountain Brook athletic director.
"To think somebody from Weaver High School would get the opportunity one day to be the AD at Hoover, it truly shows God's favor and blessing throughout this whole thing," Lamey said. "It wasn't always easy here, but it's not lost on me how big this is and how big of an opportunity it was."
Among the highlights of his tenure, Lamey pointed to a record-setting year for college signings as a particular point of pride.
"We've set the record for most college signees in a year, 57 right now that will sign at the next level, with a few more that will trickle in," Lamey said. "That's huge to me. That's what we're trying to do — provide opportunities for kids. Through their hard work and some of the benefits of the program, the exposure, the level we play at, those are important and coaches value that."
Lamey also reflected on the lessons he is taking with him. Chief among them is the importance of patience and perspective.
"Being slow to speak, taking every possible angle of a situation in before acting on it — sometimes that may come across as not taking action, but it's really looking at it to make sure that your action is in line with your policies," Lamey said. "You always want to make sure you're doing what's best for your district, your program, your kids."
He also acknowledged that the balance between career and family is something he navigated imperfectly.
"There were times I may have missed that," Lamey said. "Looking back, there were things I sacrificed at home. I tell coaches your family comes first. Often, I didn't take my own advice. That's something I've learned through this."
Lamey believes his experience coaching benefitted him greatly in his role leading coaches and programs.
"If you haven't coached, you shouldn't do it," he said. "To understand what coaches go through and what situations they deal with, it gives you a different perspective. You don't know what it's like to lose sleep over somebody else's kid."
As he prepares to walk away, Lamey said the relationships with students and athletes are what he will miss most.
"That's the most special thing about this job," he said. "Each time you move to a different opportunity, the thing that hurts the worst is the relationships that you have with those kids."
True to his nature, Lamey said he wants to make sure the next person is set up for success before he goes.
"I learned a lesson from a principal years ago: always leave a place better than you found it," he said. "You set it up for the next group's benefit."
Editor's note: This story was updated at 3:32 p.m. on April 25 to reflect Lamey's announcement of his next steps.
