Alumna Karen Hester ’77 will be recognized Friday, January 20, at approximately 6:45 pm at the Calhoun County Varsity Basketball Tournament.
The Calhoun County Basketball Tournament is being held this week at Pete Mathews Coliseum on the campus of Jacksonville State University. Each year retired coaches are recognized from Calhoun County. This year Donoho’s own Karen Hester, ’77, will be honored along with two other honorees. The recognition will take place at approximately 6:45 pm and admission is $6.
Karen Hester began her coaching career in 1977 as a part-time coach while a student-athlete at Jacksonville State University as a setter on the Gamecock volleyball team. She became a full-time teacher and coach at The Donoho School in 1980 and remained on as a faculty member and coach until retiring in 2013 as the Dean of Students. She coached junior high and varsity volleyball, varsity basketball, varsity softball, track and field, and golf.
While a coach at The Donoho School, Coach Hester won three state championships in volleyball (1994, 1998, 2002); three teams were state runner-ups (1992, 1993, 1995); won 10 area championships; and was named the AHSAA Coach of the Year for 1A Volleyball in 1994, 1998, and 2002. She coached her girl’s basketball team to the AHSAA Basketball Final Four, was the basketball regional champion, and won the Calhoun County Girls Championship game in 1995. She is the only Donoho coach to win a county championship in girls basketball. She was named the 1A Basketball Coach of the Year in 1995 and during her tenure won four basketball area championships.
She was named an Outstanding Alumna by The Donoho School in 1996 and the JSU Outstanding Alumni by the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department in 2010.
Coach Hester is now retired and resides in Anniston.
