Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills City Schools
Vestavia Hills High School announced Laura Casey as the school's new athletics director on Monday, April 28, 2025. Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills City Schools.
Laura Casey has been part of athletics at Vestavia Hills High School nearly all of her life.
That’s not changing any time soon, but she will have a new role beginning this summer.
Casey was approved by the Vestavia Hills Board of Education as the next Vestavia Hills City Schools athletics director Monday afternoon, taking charge of one of the largest and most successful high school athletics departments in Alabama.
“I’m super grateful for the opportunity,” Casey said.
Casey takes over for Myra Miles, who announced her retirement earlier this spring following four years as the Vestavia Hills athletics director. Casey spent six years as an assistant athletic director before spending this school year as an assistant principal at Vestavia Hills High, focusing on the school’s teaching and learning initiatives.
“Laura Casey is a home run hire as the next AD for the Vestavia Hills school system,” Miles said. “Not only is she deserving and qualified for this position; she is going to excel as the leader of our athletic program, and she will take it to another level.”
Casey worked for former Athletics Director Jeff Segars for three years, then for Miles for three years. Both leaders showed her different methods of running the athletics department and the vision it takes to be successful.
“Jeff is one of the best managers I’ve ever seen, and Myra is a master brander and a great leader and visionary," Casey said. "I’m so grateful for my time with both of them."
Casey has plenty of athletics experience, coaching the Lady Rebels basketball program for many years before transitioning into the administrative side of athletics. But she has also continued to develop her skill set, earning an educational leadership degree from Samford University.
“She has been preparing herself for a number of years for this opportunity,” Vestavia Hills Superintendent Todd Freeman said. “She knows the community well and worked with one of the best athletic directors you’ll find in Myra Miles. I think it was an easy choice, and she’s ready and prepared.”
Casey has worked closely on the academic side of the high school since July 2024 in her assistant principal role and has gained a broader perspective that she believes will only help her as she moves back to athletics.
“A true visionary and gifted leader, Coach Casey is both perceptive and intelligent,” Vestavia Hills High School Principal Blair Inabinet said. “She shares our deep commitment to elevating the VHHS experience and supporting the incredible people who serve our students and families, and we are thrilled to have her transition into this position.”
Casey had the passionate recommendation of Miles, who was also the athletic director at Hoover High School from 2007 to 2014 and worked at the University of Tennessee as the executive assistant to former Volunteers head football coach Jeremy Pruitt prior to arriving at Vestavia.
“It’s so flattering and humbling,” Casey said. “She has been so encouraging and has told me to put my stamp on it.”
Casey’s insistence on not standing pat on the successes Vestavia has had made her an appealing candidate for the job as well. The constant drive for improvement is a trait that defined her predecessor as well.
“I do see areas we can grow,” Casey said. “The standard at Vestavia is the standard. That is never going to change. The high expectations — that’s not something that needs to be tweaked. It’s what you do beyond that and how you elevate things and make a difference.”
Miles added, “Laura is incredibly smart and is a leader that will lead with compassion, integrity, discipline and always do what is best for our student-athletes and the program. She has a progressive mindset, and that is needed in today’s world of athletics.”
In her role, Casey said her key tenets will be developing people and connecting students throughout the school.
“I want Vestavia to be the best place to play, to go to school — all of those things — in the state of Alabama,” she said. “Not only are we growing them and teaching them, but fostering a community and teaching them to be the best they can be.”
Casey joked that one of the conditions to her taking the job was Miles answering all of her phone calls with questions. But there will be some key decisions for Casey to make in her early days as athletics director. The varsity girls basketball head coaching position needs to be filled, with John David Smelser recently departing after six extremely successful seasons. There will be other personnel items to address as the season winds down as well.
“If you do anything in leadership, the relationship piece has to be there,” Casey said. “I’m grateful that we know each other [her and the coaches]. I respect what our coaches do here tremendously because I’ve walked in their shoes. I’m excited to listen and hear what they need and want and innovate to make things better. I’m thrilled to serve them.”
But she is excited to be back full time in athletics, especially at Vestavia Hills, she said. Casey expressed gratitude to her husband and kids for being supportive in taking on this new challenge. She is also excited to continue working alongside the Vestavia administration.
“This is home, so to be able to do something like this — that you’ve always wanted to do — at home is really special,” she said.
