Antioch High has named Ryan Batey as the new head coach of the Lady Bears basketball program, giving the school a leader who already works in the building and brings years of experience in girls basketball development.
Batey teaches business management and communications in Antioch’s Academy of Business and Marketing and steps into the role with more than eight years of coaching experience.
The hire connects the Lady Bears to one of Nashville’s established girls basketball development programs.
Batey serves as president and head of basketball operations for Family Is Everything Outreach, a program founded in 2015 that now serves more than 100 young women through its girls sports arm.
During his time leading basketball operations there, more than 30 female athletes have earned opportunities to continue playing at the college level.
Before taking over at Antioch, Batey also coached both the girls and boys basketball teams at Ezell-Harding Middle School.
Batey previously led both the girls and boys basketball teams at Ezell-Harding Middle School, where he continued building his reputation as a teacher and player developer.
Antioch’s leadership is not hiding what it wants from this move. Executive Principal Nekesha Burnette described the hire as the start of “a new era” for the girls basketball program and said Batey brings “intensity, discipline, and a relentless drive for excellence.”
Read More: City of Clay recognizes Clay-Chalkville football team after undefeated Class 6A championship seasonBurnette also made clear that the standard inside the program is rising, calling this “more than a season” and “a statement” as Antioch works to build “a culture of accountability and winning.”
Batey’s vision for the Lady Bears is just as direct. He said he wants to restore the program’s former glory and views the job as a chance to make a positive impact on young women through basketball and community involvement.
He also said he is “motivated, dedicated, and committed to transforming the culture of the Lady Bears program both on and off the court” while building a team that plays with purpose, embraces challenges, and consistently exceeds expectations.
That combination gives Antioch more than a routine coaching change.
The Lady Bears are putting the program in the hands of a coach who already knows the school, works directly with students during the day, has led youth and middle school teams, and has spent years helping girls athletes move toward college basketball opportunities.
The next chapter for Antioch girls basketball now starts with a coach whose background is already tied to both the school community and the city’s wider basketball pipeline.
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