Orange Beach Hires Veteran Mobile Girls Basketball Coach

Terry Canova, who has 499 career wins, will lead the Makos program.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 4:09pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented, geometric representation of a girls' basketball game, with sharp planes of navy blue, forest green, and burnt orange, conveying the dynamic energy and strategic complexity of the sport.The hiring of two veteran coaches signals a new era of success for the Orange Beach High School girls basketball program.Mobile Today

Terry Canova, a veteran girls basketball coach with 499 career wins, has been hired as the new head coach of the Orange Beach High School girls basketball team. Canova is leaving his previous position at UMS-Wright, where he compiled a 447-192 record over 20 seasons. He will be joined by assistant coach Amanda Niehoff, who previously coached at Saraland and St. Paul's.

Why it matters

The hiring of Canova and Niehoff represents a major coup for the Orange Beach program, which is looking to build on its recent success and compete in Class 4A, Area 2 against B.C. Rain and Williamson. Canova's extensive experience and track record of success should provide an immediate boost to the Makos.

The details

Canova has 555 combined wins as a head coach, including 499 on the girls side. At UMS-Wright, he led the program to 13 Sweet 16 appearances, 9 Elite 8s, and 3 final fours. Niehoff, who played and coached alongside Canova at UMS-Wright, will now serve as his assistant at Orange Beach after previously leading the Saraland and St. Paul's programs.

  • On April 7, 2026, Orange Beach High School officially announced the hiring of Terry Canova as the new girls basketball head coach.
  • Canova spent the previous 20 seasons as the head coach at UMS-Wright, where he compiled a 447-192 record.

The players

Terry Canova

A veteran girls basketball coach with 499 career wins, who was hired as the new head coach of the Orange Beach High School girls basketball team after spending the previous 20 seasons at UMS-Wright.

Amanda Niehoff

The new assistant coach at Orange Beach High School, who previously served as the head coach at Saraland and St. Paul's.

Shane Alexander

The athletic director at Orange Beach High School, who expressed excitement about the hiring of Canova and Niehoff to lead the girls basketball program.

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What they’re saying

“I am excited to welcome both Coach Canova and Coach Niehoff to Orange Beach. Individually, they are outstanding coaches. Together, they represent a powerful combination of experience, success, and shared vision that will elevate our girls' basketball program.”

— Shane Alexander, Athletic Director, Orange Beach High School

What’s next

The Orange Beach girls basketball team will compete in Class 4A, Area 2 next season against B.C. Rain and Williamson.

The takeaway

The hiring of Terry Canova, a veteran coach with nearly 500 wins, and Amanda Niehoff as his assistant represents a major investment in the Orange Beach girls basketball program. The duo's extensive experience and track record of success should provide an immediate boost to the Makos as they look to compete in a new classification next season.