Daphne High School has named Cedric Yelding as the new varsity girl’s basketball coach. Yelding has coached the boy’s varsity team at Daphne for the past seven seasons.

He replaces Denise Grooms.

“We are excited to have Cedric as our new girl’s basketball coach,” said DHS athletic director Glenn Vickery.

“He brings a wealth of knowledge as a former college player and seven years of experience coaching on the 6-A level. Ced is a quality teacher, coach and a family man. We are so proud to have him coaching our girls.”

Yelding will continue to coach the boys program as well.

“I stepped in this summer to fill a void, and I really enjoyed the girls,” he said. “They were very receptive and played really hard.

This will be the first time that I have ever coached girls. I have watched all of these girls play basketball since their YMCA days and I’m very familiar with each girl.”

One especially, Amber Yelding, is his daughter.

“I’m very excited to get the opportunity to coach my daughter. I played for my dad, Bailey Yelding, Sr. at Fairhope High and he pushed me on to having a very successful college career. I’m hoping to do the same for Amber as well as the rest of the young ladies. This team is full of talent and basketball knowledge but yet still” young.

It’s not often that you have two coaches’ kids on the same team, speaking of Amber and Cherese Hunter who is the daughter of Baldwin County ‘s boys coach Lorenzo Hunter. They have been around basketball all of their life and they know how to lead, know what it takes and know how to get it done. And I will really be leaning on them,” he said.

Yelding has mostly youthful but experienced players. Amanda Patton, who started as a freshman, will be the only senior.

“Sierra Patterson will also be expected to play a big role on this team with her excellent athleticism. We have only one senior in Amanda Patton who has great leadership, as well as being an extremely coachable young lady. The rest of the team has varsity playing experience.”

He added that he will have some adjustments to make as well including coaching both varsity teams.

“My biggest adjustment to coaching girls will be the speed of the game. Most boys teams play much faster then girls.

“It will take a lot of time and effort to coach both boys and girls. I have told the boys and girls both not to worry as long as they hold up on their end of the deal all will be well.”

Yelding was the head coach at Robertsdale before coming to Daphne in 2003. He was the 2008-2009 6A Coach of the year recognized by the Mobile AL optimist club. Selected to coach the North vs. South All-Star Game July 16, 2009 in Huntsville AL.

Yelding turned Daphne High School program around, from winning 14 games his first three seasons to 61 games in the last three seasons.

Yelding guided Daphne High School to their first Regional tournament appearance, alone with marking the school’s best record in history at 22-6.