Andy Urban will begin his work at Mountain Brook this summer.By Rubin E. Grant
After nine years as Hoover High School’s athletic director, Andy Urban decided it was time for a change.
But he’s not leaving the area to make that change. He’s moving to Mountain Brook to become the Spartans’ next athletic director.
The Mountain Brook Schools Board of Education approved Urban on April 5 as the successor to Benny Eaves, who had served in the athletic director position since 2014 and retired on April 1.
“Things have changed and this is a great opportunity for me,” Urban said. “The timing is good since this is year 25 for me in education. I love Hoover and it’s very hard to leave, but at the same time I am looking forward to going to Mountain Brook.
“When you talk to people about Mountain Brook, you don’t say, ‘They win.’ You say, ‘They’re successful and they have a certain way of doing that.’ I want to learn that from the coaches and administration and say, ‘Where can I help? What can I add? What can we do better to take the current success to another level?’”
Urban also likes the idea of working with incoming Mountain Brook Principal Carrie Busby. Busby will replace Philip Holley, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Busby has been an assistant principal at Mountain Brook since 2018 following several years as an assistant principal at Hoover.
“I know her and it will be good to work with her again,” Urban said.
Urban has been in athletic administration for 10 years, taking over as Hoover’s athletic director in 2014 and overseeing numerous championship-level programs.
“My time at Hoover was unbelievable,” Urban said. “I came to Hoover in the fall of 2007 as an assistant baseball coach and we won a state championship the following spring.
“Hoover gave me a chance to grow as an administrator and as a person. I have relationships there that will be with me for the rest of my life.”
Urban hopes to build lasting relationships at Mountain Brook, too.
“My mission is to have quality relationships with coaches and student-athletes and for them to align with our values as a school and athletic program,” he said. “We want to invest in those around us and form relationships with well-rounded people so that we can have success.
“I’m fortunate to have a positive relationship with so many in Mountain Brook already and I look forward to growing my relationship with the Mountain Brook community.”
Mountain Brook Schools Superintendent Dicky Barlow said Urban possesses natural leadership and will be a tremendous addition to the Mountain Brook school system and athletic community.
“He is an experienced athletic director who understands that relationships and values are the foundation of a successful athletic program,” Barlow said. “I look forward to Andy leading our athletic department and joining our district leadership team.”
Urban played college baseball at Wallace State and then South Alabama, where he received a bachelor’s in education. He later earned his master’s in education degree and educational specialist degree from UAB. He and his wife, Christa, have two children, Brayden, a senior at Hoover, and Anna Kate, a fourth grader.
He will begin his work at Mountain Brook this summer.
“The Mountain Brook position is unique,” Urban said. “I think the change will be good.”
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