MONTGOMERY – Legendary high school volleyball coach Tanya Wigley Broadway grew up in Calhoun County and graduated from Pleasant Valley High School just outside Jacksonville in 1989. She was an outstanding athlete in high school, making All-State teams in basketball and volleyball.
Broadway is one of 12 individuals who will be inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame on Monday, March 10 at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center. The banquet will get under way a 6 p.m.
After high school, she continued her outstanding volleyball and basketball career at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. She was named to the All-Gulf South Conference Volleyball Team in 1993. She received the team Offensive Player Award in 1990-92 and the team Defensive Player Award in 1991. She held a number of team bests in statistical categories.
Broadway received the UAH Citizenship Award in 1993, the Outstanding Leader in Sports and Fitness Award in 1994, and the Most Outstanding Secondary Education Student Award in 1994. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from UAH with certification in English and Psychology. She also earned a master’s degree from the University of West Alabama and a Driver Education endorsement from Jacksonville State University.
Her teaching and coaching career began at Grissom High School in Huntsville in 1994. Over the next 27 years, she became one of the pillars of the volleyball community in Alabama. At Grissom she compiled a volleyball record of 1,257-395, winning Class 6A state championships in 1998 and 2003. Her teams finished runner-up eight times (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005). In addition, she had another Final Four team in 2007 and an Elite Eight team in 2006. In 25 seasons, she had only three teams under .500. She also had 33 players who were named to the AHSAA State Championships Elite Eight All-Tournament team.
A leader among her peers, Broadway was named Huntsville Coach of the Year seven times. She received four Huntsville Times All-Metro Coach of the Year honors and was named Birmingham News Coach of the Year in 2003. She coached in the North-South All-Star Game in 1998 and 2003.
Like any good coach, Broadway’s influence stretched far beyond what happened on the court. Pamela Galbreath, Grissom Health, Physical Education and Driver’s Education Chair said: “Under Coach Broadway’s guidance, her teams have not only excelled on the court but also have developed a strong sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Her commitment to excellence and integrity has left an indelible mark on many young women.
“I have had the privilege to know several of her players, and their admiration for their coach is beyond amazing. I have heard several say they would not be a successful career person had it not been for her strong coaching style.”
Galbreath said Broadway had the ability to not only push athletes to be great volleyball players but also strong young women.
“She always amazed me because she didn’t always have the most talented team, but she always got the most out of each individual player,” said Galbreath. “To me, that is the epitome of a great coach. Coach Broadway would always have a team that you never wanted to play because they played hard and smart. I have watched her practices, and they were always methodical and paced at an unbelievable level.”
Broadway moved to Kate Duncan Smith DAR High School in 2021, sharing her extraordinary ability and achieving new accomplishments.
Huntsville High School Athletic Director and Coach Melanie Donahoo, also a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2025, was a rival coach, but more importantly, a very close friend.
“Tanya has taken the challenge of building the Kate Duncan Smith High School volleyball program from the ground up’” said Donahoo. “”Through her strategic planning, tireless efforts, and keen eye for talent, she has transformed the program into a force to be reckoned with, earning the respect and admiration of her peers and the community.
“Beyond the impressive coaching achievements, Tanya’s character and integrity have been instrumental in shaping the lives of countless student-athletes. She has consistently embodied the values of sportsmanship, teamwork, and perseverance, and has instilled those qualities in every player she has coached. Her unwavering commitment to the sport, and her unwavering dedication to her players have earned them the respect and admiration of all who have had the privilege of working with her.”
Broadway’s record is 86-65 at DAR. She won the area title in 2023 and her 7th and 8th grade middle school teams have been Marshall County runner-up for four straight years.
She served on the AHSAA Volleyball Committee from 2002 through 2018. She has been a member of the American Volleyball Association and the Alabama High School Volleyball Coaches’ Association since 1996. She has also served as vice president on the AHSVCA Awards Committee.
Broadway was inducted into the Huntsville-Madison County Sports Hall of Fame (2022), the Alabama High School Volleyball Association Hall of Fame (2022), and the University of Alabama-Huntsville Sports Hall of Fame (2023).
