Bay announces softball, volleyball coaching additions

PANAMA CITY — Bay High School’s coaching staff is complete.

Athletic Director Glenn Manley announced the appointments of Nicole Newsome to take over the softball program and Hannah Decuir to lead the volleyball team. Both positions are paid through supplements and neither coach is a teacher on staff.

Newsome served as an assistant under former coach Tian Kuehl, making the transition much easier, Manley said. She is employed at Naval Support Activity Panama City.

Kuehl finished her tenure at Bay after five seasons, citing personal reasons for leaving. Bay was 7-15 last season and was eliminated in the district tournament by Pensacola Catholic.

“She (Newsome) was a good choice because she knew the kids, knew the procedures and knew the parents,” Manley said.

Decuir, 24, is a member of security forces at Tyndall Air Force Base. She has experience as a volleyball player in Washington as a high-schooler and in Germany and as an AAU coach beginning this year.

“She was a good fit with her background and coaching experience,” Manley said. “So she won’t be new to the process.”

Decuir replaces Sadie Cason, who relocated with her family after a 10-14 season, her first at the school. Decuir is the third volleyball coach at Bay in as many years.

“Coaching will be nice for the experience, obviously, but I also hope to teach the girls a little about life and teach them all I can about volleyball,” Decuir said. “It’s more important for me for the girls to learn a lot more than what I’m going to get out of it.”