There will be a new coach patrolling the sidelines at Pike County girl’s basketball games this season. New head coach Rebecca Kidd and the Lady Bulldogs will begin the 2018-2019 campaign on December 4 against Carroll.

After a brief hiatus from coaching, Kidd will join Pike County as the new girl’s basketball and softball coach.

Kidd spent four years coaching high school basketball in Louisiana and later coached at Judson college in Marion, Alabama.

“When I moved back to Alabama, the school I wanted to coach at was Pike County,” Kidd said. “I didn’t really know if they had a position, so as soon as I saw the opportunity, I came. I am very excited about it.”

Kidd will be taking over for former coach Todd Reynolds, who coached the Lady Bulldogs for three seasons.

After leading the Bulldogs through a preseason tournament, Kidd is impressed and confident with her team’s development and future.

“I think they are going to be really good,” Kidd said. “They work hard, very competitive and they are becoming very fundamentally sound. They look good.”

The Bulldogs, like last season, enter with a young roster that includes three seniors and five players who are ninth graders or younger.

“We have a bright future, I guess you can say,” Kidd said. “I have plenty of years with these girls.”

One veteran who will be returning is Precious Vaznaian. The senior led the Bulldogs in scoring a season ago.

“She has done a good job for me,” Kidd said. “She is working hard. She is a great leader on the court. She is working hard at bringing the team along with her, making sure they finish the season as a team.”

Kyah Rouse took control of the point guard as an eighth grader last season. Now she will be leaned on to be the drive of the Bulldog offense.

“Kyah Rouse will be my starting point guard this year as a freshman,” Kidd said. “Kyah will lead this team from the point guard position. She sees the floor; I see her getting many assists per game.”

The Bulldogs will play their area schedule against Wicksburg, Providence Christian and Houston Academy. Before those games begin, Kidd and the Bulldogs will play an early schedule that includes rival Charles Henderson.

“I feel like our schedule is really going to get us ready for area play,” Kidd said. “I feel like the competition is going to be really good. We play Carroll, who is a 5A school and we also have Charles Henderson. I think that is really going to prepare us to be ready to play once we get into area play.”

The Bulldogs and Eagles will begin play at approximately 6 p.m. on Monday.