Hales to lead Lumberton volleyball program

LUMBERTON — At age 64, Bryan Hales has never coached high school volleyball. But he’s far from unfamiliar with the sport after playing and coaching it his entire adult life.

Now, he’ll get his first preps opportunity after being named Lumberton High School’s head volleyball coach.

“I felt like, this time in my life, I’m 64 years old — it’s a dream I’ve always had,” Hales said. “I’ve always coached travel ball, and when the opportunity came up, it was a no-brainer, I just jumped right on it.”

Hales replaces Kali Carter, who recently stepped down after leading the Pirates for the last three seasons.

Hales, a Hoke County High School alumnus, played volleyball at the adult travel ball level from “about age 24.” When age meant he had to physically “slow down,” he began coaching “about 20 years ago.”

“He was highly recommended,” said Ted White, Lumberton’s athletic director. “He’s spent a lot of time in the sport, worked with a lot of youth travel programs.”

Hales has coached and trained many volleyball players in Cumberland County, including current players at multiple programs in the United-8 Conference that will face Lumberton. He also does beach volleyball training. His non-volleyball background includes an 18-year career in law enforcement.

“I’ve had success in travel ball, and travel ball is pretty high level,” he said. “We’ve coached mostly 13- and 14-year-olds, development into players. A lot of the girls that play at Cape Fear and Gray’s Creek now, I’ve worked with before.”

Hales’ wife, Tammy Hales, will also be on the Pirates’ coaching staff, he said. She is also a travel ball volleyball coaching veteran; the couple met playing volleyball.

The Pirates program is coming off a 4A state playoff appearance last season, its first since 2019. Hales inherits a young team entering the 2024 season.

Right now we’re only looking at one senior. The freshman class that’s coming in is unbelievable, so we’re probably going to be more freshmen and sophomores than anything else, but I see a bright future for this team. There’s some young talent there right now that’s just dying to get out, and I told them if they put forth the work and the effort, success will be no problem.”

Providing the Pirates’ young core with stability in leadership was a key factor in the coaching search, White said.

“That’s really what our main goal was,” White said. “I anticipated in the spring having Kali back, but we’ve got a really good group of freshmen coming in, and there was already a decent group there. So we’re going to be young this year, but we’ve got a good group of girls coming in. So we want some stability there.”

Lumberton opens its season Aug. 12 at Red Springs.