Aaron Beth was announced as the new head coach of the Graves County Lady Eagle basketball team Tuesday afternoon.

The head coaching position opened after the announcement of head coach Amy Carrico’s resignation in early March. Carrico was 82-70 with the Lady Eagles after five seasons, winning three consecutive District 3 titles.

A selection committee consisting of Superintendent Kim Harrison, Principal Matthew Madding, Athletic Director Doug Gloyd, former player Janae Heath, and parent Dan Sheppard considered between 20 and 30 applicants for the position. When commenting on the number of coaches that applied, Madding said, “It says a lot about the girls that we have, it says a lot about the work that coach Carrico and her staff did with this program in getting it to the point we are now. So we’re very excited about what’s going to happen moving forward.”

“I feel very confident that we have hired an individual that is very motivated in taking our lady eagle basketball team to the next level,” Gloyd said in the conference.

On Tuesday, the Lady Eagles heard their head coach speak for the first time.
“I’m going to have very high expectations from the beginning for myself, my staff, and my players,” Beth stated. “Winning doesn’t just happen. I’m very excited about what I can do with this Lady Eagle program.”

Beth was a graduate of Marshall County High school where he became an All-State player and continued his career as a player at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where he won an SEC championship. As a coach, Beth has served in multiple positions as both an assistant and head coach, the most recent being assistant boys basketball at Marshall County, a position he has held since 2010.

Players and fans alike were anxious for a name going in to Tuesday’s press conference held in Graves County High School’s Performing Arts Center. Sophomore center Cassidy Sheppard spoke on the anticipation. “ I was worried that with a new coach, we wouldn’t be as close and have the same relationship that we had with Coach Carrico.”

However, it does seem that Beth’s outlook on the game will fit nicely with that of the Graves County Eagles. Beth is the son of Howard Beth, the second-winningest lady’s basketball coach in Kentucky, whose record boasts 794 wins, including two state championships. Beth explained what it was like being his father’s son. “I grew up with the expectation of winning. No matter where I’ve been or what program I’ve been around, that’s going to be my expectation.”