Steve Savarese has his successor. The Alabama High School Athletic Association announced that Alvin Briggs, formerly the organization’s associate executive director, will now lead the AHSAA effective July 1.
Briggs has compiled a long coaching and playing career in the state, leading two football programs before joining the AHSAA in 2011.
Here’s what to know about the new executive director, from collegiate glory to rising up the AHSAA ranks:
A historic 5th
Briggs became the fifth executive director in AHSAA history, following Savarese’s 15-year tenure. Cliff Harper led from 1948-1966. Bubba Scott took over in 1966 until Dan Washburn did so in 1990.
Briggs is also the first Black leader of the AHSAA in the organization’s 100-year history.
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SEC ball hawk
Briggs starred on the Greenville football team from 1979 to 1982. He originally played wide receiver at Auburn but pivoted to defensive back a week before his first game.
He tallied nine interceptions in three years and won a Southeastern Conference title in 1987. The Dallas Cowboys drafted Briggs, but after a season he became a graduate assistant at North Alabama.
High school coaching success
Briggs left UNA in 2001 to become head coach at his alma mater. He led the Tigers to an 18-25 record in four years in Class 5A. In 2007, Briggs took the same role at Florence and won 34 games and a region title with the Falcons in five seasons.
Different hats
Since joining the ASHAA in 2011, Briggs has held different roles within the organization. He started as the head of the athletic directors and coaches association and was promoted to associate executive director when Tony Stallworth retired in 2018.
Throughout his time, Briggs has been the AHSAA head of football and track and field as well.
Tough shoes to fill
Briggs enters his new position with the AHSAA in its “best financial shape in history,” per a press release from the organization. Savarese brought the football state championships to Bryant-Denny and Jordan O’Hare Stadium as well as implementing a revenue-sharing program for member schools.
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Briggs’ immediate challenges will be establishing girls flag football this fall as well as overseeing a vote for the state to adopt a shot clock in high school basketball.
“I pray I can lead this organization to new heights as (Savarese has) done,” Briggs said.
Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
