By Mark Schmerling
Polk County High School’s varsity women’s basketball team has a new head coach. Middle School coach Brandy Alm was named by the Polk County School Board on March 10 to replace Craig Culbreth, who recently announced his retirement from coaching at the high school.
Coach Alm has served as the women’s coach at Polk County Middle School for the past six years, where her teams have won four divisional championships.
Alm played basketball, volleyball and softball at TC Roberson High School in Asheville.
In basketball, she was a four-time team MVP, four-time all-conference, two-time conference player of the year, two-time Asheville Citizen-Times Player of the Year and a Blue-White and East-West All-Star game performer. She played college basketball and went on to become an All-South Atlantic Conference guard at Newberry College.
“We are excited to welcome Brandy Alm to Polk County High School,” Said PCHS Principal Mary Feagan. “Many of our students know her from the middle school and I am sure she will receive a warm welcome. We are very pleased that she has agreed to step up and lead our women’s basketball program.”
Alm is ready to lead her new team.“I’m really excited,” she said. “It’s an awesome opportunity.”
She said that when one of her students told her that Coach Craig Culbreth had just retired, she went to Polk County School Superintendent Bill Miller, and let him know she was interested in the position.As middle school coach, Alm is familiar with most of the current players.

“I coached a lot of the girls at the middle-school level. There’s a lot of talent up and down the floor, from post to guard,” said Alm.
Practices can begin in October for those players who are not involved in fall sports, but before that, she can get limited numbers of players in the gym, and also have a team camp.“I can’t wait to get started,” she said.
PCHS Athletic Director Jeff Wilson welcomes Alm. “We’re really excited to have Brandy. We feel that she’ll bring a lot of energy, enthusiasm and ability.” “What an advantage that is,” Wilson said. About Alm having coached many of the current varsity players at the middle school level
On the departing Culbreth, Wilson said, “Craig was a fantastic coach, who always got the most out of his girls. He’ll be missed.”