There has been a changing of the guard in the basketball program at Union Pines High School.

It was recently announced by Bill Medlin, the school’s athletic director, that Bobby Purvis would take over the varsity boys’ head coach position, and Matt Hrbek would take over as head coach of the girls varsity program.

Purvis, the girls’ coach at the school for the last 19 years, replaces long-time Viking coach Carl Salmon.

Hrbek has been the junior varsity girls’ basketball coach at Union Pines for the last two years and the varsity girls’ softball coach for the season that just ended. He was also the girls’ softball coach at New Century Middle School for two years. A teacher at New Century the last two years, Hrbek will teach physical education at Union Pines beginning next year.

Purvis acknowledged he had mixed feelings about leaving the girls to take over the helm of the boys’ team.

“It’s an exciting opportunity,” Purvis said Thursday. “But at the same time there is sadness. There is happiness in the opportunity to coach the boys, but then the reality sets in that I’m not coaching the girls anymore.

“I’ve never been silly enough to think it was me — it is the girls that have played over those 19 years who have done everything to make me the coach I am. I’ve been very fortunate and very blessed to coach the players I did.”

In his 19 years as the girls’ coach, Purvis has compiled an overall record of 296-194. His teams have won seven regular-season conference championships and have won the conference tournament six times. The last two years, his squad has not lost a regular-season contest, winning over 40 games while losing just three times, all in postseason play.

The nucleus of that team will be returning next season.

“The hardest thing I ever had to do,” Purvis said Thursday, “was when I told those girls I wouldn’t be coaching them next season. They are a great group of people, not just players. We’ve had success the last couple of years and I’ve been lucky to be a part of that.

“But sometimes in coaching you need to take on a new challenge and when that opportunity comes along, you have to take that opportunity. To be a part of the excitement and enthusiasm the girls’ team has generated, and the support of the fans they’ve received, has been great. We hope to create some of that for the boys’ team.

“There are some good players on the boys’ team, and I’m excited about being a part of that team now.”

Hrbek, who graduated from the State University of New York–Brockport and grew up in New York City, played two years of college basketball. He and his wife Althea are the parents of a 7-month-old boy.

Hrbek knows that he is inheriting a team of talented players.

“There is a nervous excitement,” Hrbek said Thursday about taking on the head coach responsibilities. “I’ve been given a team that hasn’t lost a regular-season game in two years. I’m following Bobby Purvis, who has been doing this 20-some years. Those are some tough shoes to fill.

“The players are used to coach Purvis, but the transition shouldn’t be that hard because they are familiar with me. These really are outstanding players. Even though Purvis won’t be on the bench with me, I know he’ll still be around. And that is how it should be. I think he’ll be a tremendous assest to me.”

In completing the changing of the guard at the school, Purvis recalls coach Salmon in much the same light.

“You know, when I became the girls’ coach, coach Salmon was a big help to me,” Purvis said. “He was there to give me advice and he helped me a lot with learning about basketball and about coaching. Sometimes you think that you are ready for something and later, when looking back, you realize that maybe you really weren’t ready.