Segars transitions to new role at AHSAA

It was not an easy decision to leave the community that he grew up in and has served for many years since, but Jeff Segars recently took a job with the Alabama High School Athletic Association as an assistant director.

Segars graduated from Vestavia Hills High School in 1986 and has been a teacher, coach and administrator there. His most recent role was as the high school’s athletic director, which he assumed in 2015.

“If I had worked the rest of my life at Vestavia, I would’ve been just as happy as can be,” Segars said. “But sometimes things change. It felt like it was the right time for a change and to challenge myself.”

Segars’ first week on the job was spent in Orlando at the National Federation of High Schools conference. He said it was eye-opening to hear from other state associations and how they do things.

“Our state association does a really good job,” he said.

One of Segars’ primary challenges in his new role, aside from the natural transition period, is the fact that he has had institutional knowledge of Vestavia Hills and the world of athletics for over 30 years.

“It’s an opportunity to grow and face new challenges,” he said. “There’s a great team down here and a great team at Vestavia, and I know they will be successful. This is an opportunity that, at this point in my life, I just didn’t think I could pass up.”

At the AHSAA, Segars will work primarily with football, wrestling and track and field. Segars enters the organization as a new face, but also at a time when many of the familiar faces are moving into new roles. Executive Director Steve Savarese retired in July, with Alvin Briggs being promoted to the executive director position.

“Coach Briggs is putting together an unbelievable team,” Segars said. “I’m excited to work with everybody.”

Segars has been on the side of the member schools the AHSAA oversees. He believes his perspective from being on both sides of the aisle will help going forward.

“We need to make sure in any decision that we try to work through and say, ‘How is this going to affect those people that are in the trenches?’ I bring a good perspective. I was in the trenches for a really long time,” Segars said.

Segars will miss many things about Vestavia Hills, including how ingrained the school system was with the community itself.

“What makes Vestavia great is that these people that teach and coach there; they don’t just drive in there during the day and go home,” he said. “Their kids go to school there and they’re part of the community. It’s important to them and it’s important to me.”

But the things Segars learned during his time in the city will not be lost on him. He still carries many of the lessons he learned a long time, such as “doing things the right way and doing them with class and character and sportsmanship.”

“That’s hard to me, moving to a new town, because I’ve been part of the community for such a long time,” he said.

Segars and his wife Ellen have two children, Bryant and Mary Frances.