Longtime Midlands basketball coach taking AD job at another area high school
John Combs is getting out of coaching and into an administrative role.
The Westwood High School boys basketball coach will be the new athletic director at Spring Valley High. The move was approved at Tuesday’s Richland 2 school board meeting.
Combs replaces Jeff DiBattisto who announced earlier this year that he was stepping down at the end of the school year.
Spring Valley has more than 2,000 students and is in Class 5A, the state’s biggest classification.
“Spring Valley was my first job and where I started teaching and coaching after I left University of South Carolina,” Combs said. “Spring Valley just has an athletic tradition of excellence there. As I gotten a little older and chance to jump into athletic administration, it fits my skillset pretty well and I want to help on a bigger stage with all sports, not just basketball.
“Jeff DiBattisto is one of my best friends and has said nothing but good things about Spring Valley. So an opportunity to take over one of the state’s best athletic programs is something too good to pass up. I am very humbled for the opportunity.”
Combs has been out at Westwood the past four seasons. The Redhawks went 12-15 this year and lost on a last-second shot to South Florence in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
Before Westwood, Combs was head coach at Ben Lippen and at Ridge View. He has a successful run at Ridge View, leading the Blazers to the playoffs in 10 of his 11 seasons there. Ridge View won two region titles and played for a state championship in 2011, losing to Irmo.
The Blazers made it to the Lower State semifinals in 2007 and 2013. Combs also spent one season as head coach at Silver Bluff and three years as an assistant at Spring Valley.
In addition to coaching, Combs is heavily involved with the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association and with the organization’s hall of fame and North-South All-Star Game.
Combs said his duties at Spring Valley won’t prevent him from staying involved with the SC Basketball Coaches Association.
Westwood has posted Combs’ old job and will begin the process of fielding applications. They hope to hire a new coach in the next few weeks.
Midlands high school basketball openings
Boys Basketball
School — Former Coach — New Coach
Fairfield Central — Jonathan Durant — TBA
Heathwood Hall — Jeff Whalen — TBA
Pelion — David Smith — TBA
Swansea — Chris Register — Lamont Britt
Westwood — John Combs — Trent Robinson
White Knoll — Darrick Cureton — Willie Thomas
Girls Basketball
Blythewood — Steve Inabinet — Emily McElveen
Dutch Fork — Faye Norris — TBA
Northside Christian — Kristen Fortenberry — Jordan Leath
This story was originally published May 9, 2023 at 7:53 PM with the headline "Longtime Midlands basketball coach taking AD job at another area high school."
