Cold Springs is turning to a familiar face in order to continue its winning ways.

Paige Adams, who helped guide the Eagles to a pair of state championships as a player, and who has commanded the junior varsity girls team for the past five seasons, will officially take over the varsity position at her alma mater, succeeding former longtime coach Tammy West.

West recently left her post after 33 seasons to accept the same job at Cullman.

Cold Springs Principal Eric Dickerson confirmed Adams’ hiring to The Times on Wednesday.

“We are fortunate to be in a position to transition from Tammy to Paige,” he said. “It is not every day that you have someone who is capable of stepping into a position like this while maintaining the continuity of the program. With her success as a state championship player and previous head coaching experience, it made her an obvious choice for our position.”

For Adams, meanwhile, the opportunity to take the reins from West “means everything.”

“It’s definitely been a dream of mine to come back where I grew up and be part of this program,” she said. “I’ve been around this program since second grade … watched Coach West win her first state title and told her I was going to win a state championship with her one day. So, just to be able to do that and then coach with her was a full-circle moment. I know I’ve got huge shoes to fill, but I’m excited to do that. The legacy and culture she built will always be here. It’s special to be able to step in and hopefully continue it, because I’ve seen firsthand where that success comes from.”

Adams is certainly no stranger to that aforementioned prosperity — both on the court and the bench.

Her myriad contributions to Cold Springs in 2008 and 2009 allowed the Eagles to capture two of their four state titles under West, with Adams collecting state tournament MVP honors each time — as well as All-State accolades.

After three years of college basketball at Union University, Adams returned to Cullman County to serve as a varsity girls assistant at Holly Pond for two seasons before taking over the program for one season (2016-17) following the retirement of longtime coach Scott Adams, her father-in-law.

Adams eventually made her way back to Cold Springs, where as an assistant she played a pivotal role in the Blue and Gold reaching a pair of Final Fours and an Elite Eight the past three seasons.

She’s hoping her familiarity with the current roster — and vice versa — will aid in continuing those types of achievements for years to come.

“Growing up in it and knowing what’s been at the forefront of the program … it should hopefully set me up for a smooth transition,” Adams said. “Coach West trusted me with all aspects of the game and considered me an equal counterpart, and that meant a lot to me. That’s helped prepare me for this role and hopefully continue the success the program has had.”