Class of 2010 Inductees
Coach Buddy Anderson
1978-present: Head Football Coach, Vestavia Hills High School
1980-present: Athletic Director, Vestavia Hills High School
One of the most respected high school football coaches in the State of Alabama, Coach Anderson is the cornerstone of Vestavia Hills Athletic programs and has been involved with athletics at Vestavia Hills High School for 38 years, 33 as head football coach and athletic director.
Coach Anderson was inducted into the AHSAA Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Under Coach’s leadership, Vestavia football teams won the AHSAA Football State Championship in 1980 and 1998, and finished runner-up in 1978 and 1979. Vestavia has been in the state playoffs 26 out of 32 years. In addition to the state championship and runner-up trophies, Vestavia’s Coach Anderson led teams have made it to the state semifinals four times and to the quarter finals five times. To date, Coach has compiled a 271-111 overall record, placing him in the top 10 of most wins among football coaches in the State of Alabama. Vestavia High School’s athletic program has won numerous state titles during his tenure as athletic director and is rated one of the best athletic programs in the state on an annual basis. The football field at Vestavia Hills High School is named in his honor.
Coach Fran Braasch
1983-2006: Head Girls Basketball Coach, Vestavia Hills High School
A trail blazer for girls basketball in the State of Alabama, Coach Braasch started the athletic program at Pizitz Middle School, and also started and coached the first women’s scholarship basketball team at UAB. She coached and taught school for 32 years coaching girls basketball for 27 years, 23 years at Vestavia Hills High School.
In 23 years at Vestavia High School, she experienced only one losing season. Her teams compiled an overall record of 512-170 and made regular trips to the state tournament. There were 14 seasons of 20 or more wins, including four with 30 or more wins.
Her last three teams had a combined record of 96-10. There were five Final Four finishes, including a state championship in 1987.
She was inducted into the AHSAA Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Dr. Michael Chandler
1987-2009: Team Physician, Vestavia Hills High School
Dr. Michael Chandler has served students, teachers, city workers and the entire Vestavia community for over 25 years as a family physician specializing in sports medicine. There are countless stories related to Dr. Chandler opening up his Rocky Ridge Family Clinic or making a phone call during off hours for someone in the Vestavia community in need.
Starting in 1987, Dr. Chandler was the physician on the sidelines of Vestavia High School football and baseball games for Vestavia athletes, and assisted with all of Vestavia’s athletic program’s medical needs enabling players to stay on the field of play.
As a former United States Air Force pilot that flew the F-4 fighter jet, Dr. Chandler helped transport injured players and coaches by air at a moment’s notice when duty called. Dr. Chandler remains recognized as one of Birmingham’s top family practice/sport medicine physicians today.
His selfless service, humble sacrifices and pure joy in keeping Vestavia athletes and coaches on the field qualifies Dr. Chandler as the first recipient of the Vestavia Hills Sports Hall of Fame Distinguished Citizen Award.
Casey Dunn
Vestavia Hills Class of 1995
Dunn has been the Head Baseball Coach at Samford University since 2004. He was the youngest D1 head coach in the country when he was hired. Under his leadership, the Bulldogs posted 30-plus wins for three straight seasons for the first time in program history from 2006-08. In 2006, Dunn was named the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year.
Dunn started the baseball program at Spain Park High School in Birmingham. In three years at Spain Park, he posted a 53-41 record. His teams won two Jefferson County titles and a co-region championship, and earned two state playoff appearances. In 2003, Dunn was named Coach of the Year by The Birmingham News.
Dunn played four seasons as a catcher at Auburn (1996-99). As a senior, he earned first-team All-America honors after batting .379 with a Southeastern Conference-leading 86 RBI. He helped lead the Tigers to a 1999 NCAA Regional Championship, the 1998 SEC Tournament title and the 1997 College World Series. He also earned Academic All-American and National Player of Year honors as a senior. At the end of his senior season at Auburn, Dunn was presented with the Cliff Hare Award for the school’s top male athlete
Dunn was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 15th round and played with Kansas City’s minor league teams in Wilmington, North Carolina and Spokane, Washington.
Coach Sammy Dunn
1978-2004: Head Baseball Coach, Vestavia Hills High School
Regarded as one of the most successful coaches in the history of Alabama High School baseball, Coach Dunn’s Vestavia baseball teams won nine state titles from 1991-2000, including seven straight from 1994- 2000. In 1998, his team won the National Championship and Coach Dunn was named National Coach of the Year. He was again named National Coach of the Year in 1999. Coach Dunn’s 27-year record at Vestavia was 647-146.
Coach Dunn served as an assistant on Coach Buddy Anderson’s football staff from 1978-1998. Coach Dunn had the opportunity to be a head baseball coach at the college level, including the University of Alabama, but chose to stay at Vestavia.
Coach is a member of Montevallo’s Sports Hall of Fame and was inducted into the AHSAA Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He received the first-ever Frank House Award at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Baseball Stadium at Vestavia Hills High School is named in his honor. Coach Dunn was one of the leading founders of the Alabama High School Baseball Coaches Association, where he held office.
Chris Hammond
Vestavia Hills Class of 1984
Hammond attended Gulf Coast Community College and UAB before being drafted in the sixth round of the major league baseball draft by the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. Hammond broke into the big leagues on July 16, 1990 with the Reds and went on to play for the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres before returning to the Reds and retiring from baseball in 2006.
In 2002, Hammond pitched 76 innings in 63 games while posting an 0.95 ERA for the Braves. Hammond became only the fourth pitcher in baseball history to post an ERA below 1.00 while pitching over a full season with a minimum of 70 innings. In 2003, while pitching for the Yankees, Hammond allowed the lowest percentage of inherited runners to score in the Yankees bullpen while posting a 2.86 ERA.
Hammond pitched in the 2003 World Series, throwing two innings without allowing an earned run. As a pitcher, Hammond was a good lefthanded hitter as shown by his career .202 batting average, .285 on-base percentage, and four career home runs, including one grand slam.
Trey Hardee
Vestavia Hills Class of 2002
Hardee is the world’s current “greatest athlete” winning the 2009 World Decathlon in Berlin with a personal best and world leading score of 8,790 points. His performance ranked No. 9 on the all-time list and was the highest score at a World Championships since 2001. Hardee is one of three Americans ever to win the World decathlon title.
Hardee is also the 2009 USA champion, 2008 Olympic Trials runner-up, 2006 NCAA Division I Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, 2005 NCAA Outdoor champion and 2004 NCAA Outdoor runner-up.
Hardee attended Mississippi State University through 2004 and the University of Texas through 2006. At the 2006 Texas Relays, Hardee set an NCAA record in the decathlon with 8,465 points. At the New Mexico Multi-Events Meet in Albuquerque, he won with 6,208 points in the indoor heptathlon, surpassing the NCAA record of 6,136 points. In his junior year at the University of Texas, he posted a UT record score of 7,881 points, and won the decathlon at the NCAA Championships.
While at Mississippi State, Hardee set a school record of 8,041 points while finishing second in the decathlon at the NCAA Championship. Hardee placed first at the 2004 SEC Championships with 7,480 points.
David Jordan
Vestavia Hills Class of 1980
Following his three-sport career at Vestavia where he earned first team All State honors in Football, Jordan attended Auburn University from 1980-1984. At Auburn, Jordan earned AP First Team All SEC Honors and HM All American honors while playing offensive guard and blocking for Auburn’s storied running backs, Lionel James and Bo Jackson.
He was part of Coach Pat Dye’s “favorite team” and helped catapult Auburn to the 1983 SEC Championship and Sugar Bowl. He played in the 1984 Hula Bowl and 1984 Senior Bowl.
Jordan was then drafted by Bill Parcells and the New York Giants in 1984 where he played for three seasons and was a member of the 1986 Super Bowl World Champions. In 1987, Jordan played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and retired at the end of the season.
Thompson Clay “Mutt” Reynolds
1971-1972: Head Football Coach, Vestavia Hills High School
1971, 1978-1980: Athletic Director, Vestavia Hills High School
In December 1970, Vestavia Hills hired Coach Reynolds as Vestavia High School’s first Football Coach and Athletic Director. Coach Reynolds came to Vestavia after spending 28 years coaching at Ramsay High School from 1943-1970, 18 as Head Football coach.
As head coach at Ramsay, Coach Reynolds won the State Championship in 1953 and played in 15 Crippled Children’s Classic games at Legion Field and won 10.
At Vestavia, Coach Reynolds built the foundation for Vestavia athletics, hiring and leading coaches to develop an athletic program that is recognized today as one of the finest in the State of Alabama. Coach Reynolds was inducted into the AHSAA Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, its second class. Coach Reynolds was named by Birmingham’s Monday Morning Quarterback Club as its Coach of the Year in 1959 and 1963. The football stadium at Vestavia Hills High School is named in his honor.
Suzzane Olcott Serrano
Vestavia Hills Class of 1999
Suzanne Olcott Serrano possesses the academic and athletic character of an All-American. At a young age, her friends and family noticed and fostered her passion for sports and athletics. She attended Vestavia Hills High School where she continued to shine on and off the field. Olcott ran track and played softball during her high school career.
Her softball accolades earned Serrano a full scholarship to the University of Alabama. Playing second base, she never let adversity stop her as Serrano and her team won many games and made appearances in the Women’s College World Series. Because of her dedication and hard work, she was awarded All SEC and All American.
Serrano has been the Softball Coach at Briarwood Christian School for the past eight years. She has coached Briarwood Christian to several area titles as well as guiding the Lions to their first state appearance in school history.
Jay Waggoner
Vestavia Hills Class of 1991
Waggoner was a three-sport star in high school, earning 10 varsity letters and being elected captain of the football, basketball and baseball teams as a senior. He helped lead the 1991 baseball team to Vestavia’s first State Championship as a senior.
From Vestavia, he went on to play baseball for Auburn from 1992-1995. During his four seasons with the Tigers, he was honored as a NCBWA first team All-American first baseman and was a two-time All-SEC selection.
In 1994, Waggoner helped lead the Tigers to a College World Series appearance with an SEC record 119 hits out of 291 at bats for a .409 average. Waggoner’s 342 career hits still ranks him second on the SEC’s all-time hit list. At the end of his senior season at Auburn, Waggoner was presented with the Cliff Hare Award for the school’s top male athlete.
Waggoner was drafted in 1995 by the Detroit Tigers and played in their minor league system for two seasons. In 2007, Waggoner was named to the Auburn Tiger Trail alongside other Auburn athletes that distinguished themselves during their time at Auburn University.
Jeanne Wilson
Vestavia Hills Class of 1986
Wilson has been competing in weightlifting since 1989 when it became sanctioned for women. She was the first female to compete for the US in weightlifting in an International Competition in 1989 where she set a World Record and won the Gold in Alsbury, England.
Wilson has been three-time World Champion and 12-time National Champion. She holds the National record in two weight classes.
Wilson was selected Female Athlete of the Year by Wheelchair Sports USA in 1997 and Female Physically Challenged Athlete of the Year in 1990 and 1998 for the state of Alabama.