The Statesboro Lady Blue Devil basketball team has had tremendous success under head coach Jeff Seier, who recently became the winningest head coach in Statesboro girls’ basketball history. Under Seier’s leadership, the SHS girls basketball won six region championships, including this year. They also made the state playoffs eleven times including two Elite Eight appearances.
At the end of the 2019-20 season Seier announced his retirement, and this week Statesboro athletic director Patrick Hill announced that Blue Devil boys assistant coach Marty Holder will be taking over as the girls head coach.
“First off we would like to thank Coach Seier for his leadership,” Hill said. “He has run an incredible program and has had unprecedented success. He told us before the season he would be stepping down, and to win a region championship in his final year was a great way to go out.”
The Blue Devils didn’t have to look far for Seier’s replacement, as they hired Blue devil boy’s assistant Marty Holder. Holder is also currently an assistant principal at Statesboro High School.
Coach Holder began his education career in Bulloch Co. in 2005 at Langston Chapel Middle School. From 2005-2008, Coach Holder’s boys teams won a middle school championship and compiled a record of 30-4. In 2008, Coach Holder worked at Southeast Bulloch High School as the head girls basketball coach and assistant boys basketball coach gaining valuable experience from John Page and Milton Williams.
“It’s great to have someone already on staff that we trust to take the position,” Hill said. “He has an incredible coaching record at everywhere he has been on the middle school, and high school level.
In 2009, Coach Holder accepted the head boys basketball position at Johnson High School in Savannah. Prior to Mr. Holder arriving at Johnson, the record was 7-21. In 2009, Coach Holder led Johnson High School to a 20-8 record, a region runner up title, advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 1993, and was voted the 3-AAAAA Coach of the Year.
“I’m excited about taking over as head coach,” Holder said. “I’m blessed to be a part of the Statesboro Lady Blue Devil tradition. I am grateful to return to being a head coach, and to do it at Statesboro is even better.”
This community has been great to me, and my family,” Holder said. “The school could have easily went in another direction, but I am thankful they thought enough of me to give me this chance.”
In 2017, Coach Holder was presented an opportunity to move to Statesboro High School as an assistant principal and also return to coaching basketball under legend, Lee Hill. Coach Holder worked under Coach Hill as the head JV boys’ basketball coach and assistant boys’ varsity coach. The boys JV program under the guidance of Coach Holder compiled a record of 47-5 over a three year period.
“I have learned so much coaching under Coach Hill,” Holder said. “The first thing I did was to get his blessing before pursuing this position at all. He has taught me so much in the past few years and I am grateful for his guidance.”
The Blue Devils lose leading scorer Lacy Robins, who signed with Georgia Southern, but return four starters from last year’s region championship team.
“Coming back I know we have a lot of talent,” Holder said. “I plan on running a little more of an up tempo offense, which I think will really fit with the talent we have. We also have a lot of athleticism coming up from the middle school programs, which will really help us with depth next season.”
