Amy Yarbrough, a former assistant coach for Donny McDonald at Hays High, will take over as varsity girls basketball coach at San Marcos Academy this fall. (Photo by Don Anders)
by SHELLEY HENRY
Special to the Hays Free Press
Whether she is playing, coaching or calling the fouls as a referee, Amy Yarbrough knows her way around a basketball court. The Lady Bears of San Marcos Academy will benefit from her experience this fall when she takes over as head varsity basketball coach.
Announcing Yarbrough’s appointment this week, Snuffy Smith, assistant vice president for athletics, said Coach Yarbrough would be an excellent fit for SMA. “With her playing experience at Baylor, her coaching in the Hays CISD with Donnie McDonald, and her being around the game so much with her husband, Scott, she brings a wealth of basketball knowledge to our program. Most importantly, she will be another excellent role model for our students.”
Gaining attention as a high school basketball player Ohio, Yarbrough was invited to play for the Baylor Lady Bears as a walk-on. In addition to playing at Baylor, she gained experience coaching sub-varsity teams at Vanguard School and at Midway High School in Waco. Certified as a referee, Yarbrough also officiated at high school basketball games.
While at Baylor, Amy met her future husband, Scott Yarbrough, who was a basketball referee himself. Today, the Yarbroughs travel together whenever possible as Scott officiates WNBA and college games, including numerous Women’s Final Four tournaments.
Signing on to coach in the Hays CISD in 1993, Amy moved through the middle school and sub-varsity ranks to eventually become assistant varsity coach under Donny McDonald.
“Amy is very organized,” McDonald said. “She will be tough on the girls and demanding, but she is always fair. She wants to win, I know that – she will do as much as she can to have a winning season. The kids loved her as a coach at Hays, and I know she will do a great job at SMA.”
Amy said her primary goal for the 2011-12 season is to help the Lady Bears improve their skills on the court. “I want to help the girls become the best they can be, not just in basketball, but in all areas of their life,” Yarbrough said. “It’s important to me to be a good role model, a good teacher and a good competitor.”
She added that she and Scott, who has served on the Academy’s Board of Trustees since 2009, are excited about the direction the Academy is going. “I think a lot of Dr. (John) Garrison, and I feel that they want to invest in the girls’ athletic programs and that this will be a good time to come onto the staff. I’m a little nervous but mostly excited and grateful that the Lord has opened this new door for me.”
