By Sports Editor Andrew Simonson
SHELBY NORTHAfter hiring Keegan McQueen as their new head boys soccer coach on June 20, the Oak Mountain Eagles didn’t take long to fill their soccer staff, and the soccer community in the Birmingham area should be familiar with their most recent assistant hires.
Following the Shelby County Board of Education meeting on Thursday, June 26, Landon Gaskins and Wes Patridge were appointed program assistant coaches at Oak Mountain High School.
According to Oak Mountain athletic director Chris Blight, “We take pride in our team approach to our soccer staff, and these two are coming in to be program assistants, but it’s going to enhance the level for everyone, including myself and coach McQueen.” It consists of two highly experienced and committed employees. They both have head coaching experience, and we want them to join Oak Mountain Soccer and contribute in the same way. We also believe that their contributions to our staff would be quite beneficial.
In order to maintain consistency throughout the varsity programs with the same four coaches, the two will serve as assistant coaches for both the boys’ and girls’ teams. Chris Blight will remain as head coach of girls soccer and assistant coach for boys, while McQueen will serve as head coach for the boys and help the girls squad.
Gaskins is a Calera native who spent the previous three seasons coaching the varsity boys soccer team before coming to OMHS. When the Eagles reached their first-ever Final Four in his first season, they created history. Due to an ineligible player showing up in the playoffs, McAdory forfeited that appearance in the quarterfinals.
During Gaskins’ three seasons as head coach, Calera posted an 11-1 area record and won the Class 6A, Area 5 championship each time. The Eagles advanced to the second round in 2024 and the quarterfinals in 2025 after their run to the Final Four.
Because he played for Helena in high school, Gaskins has strong links to the county. As a midfield player, he was selected to the First Team twice, in 2016 and 2017 as an Honorable Mention.
Patridge has been the head varsity girls soccer coach at John Carroll Catholic High School for the past seven seasons. First in Class 4A-5A, then in Area 8 in 2022, and finally in Class 5A from 2023 to 2025, the Cavaliers have won the area championship each of the last four seasons.
In the USL League Two, he serves as the assistant coach for Birmingham Legion FC II and is also involved at the club level with the Birmingham United Soccer Association (BUSA).
As a native of Shelby County, Gaskins is excited to be the coach of Oak Mountain, a team he has long admired.
“I’m thrilled,” Gaskins declared. I can’t wait to start working with the guys. It’s a dream realized. It’s an honor to even be offered the position to go to Shelby County, where I’ve watched and played against Oak Mountain since I was a child.
The high standards at Oak Mountain, both on the field and in the classroom, are a major draw for Gaskins. Additionally, he was convinced that the new plan for OMHS soccer should focus on both programs.
According to Gaskins, I was prepared for a fresh challenge. Naturally, Oak Mountain’s reputation carried a lot of weight, but Blight’s vision for the program as a whole and academics in particular really inspired me and made me think about the position, and I’m happy I accepted it.
Gaskins acknowledges that he still has opportunity to develop as a young coach despite having three years as head coach and three postseason trips under his credit. He aspires to get even more knowledge from two renowned girls coaches, Patridge and Blight, as well as an accomplished former assistant named McQueen.
Since I’m only 26, I believe I still have a lot to learn, Gaskins stated. I don’t think I know everything. I’m prepared to enter both programs with an open mind, absorb as much as I can, learn as much as I can, and contribute as much as I can.
Regarding his time at Calera, Gaskins has only good things to say. He expresses his gratitude to the city for embracing a new coach and supporting his program concept.
He claimed that it was just time to advance and take his coaching career to the next level.
According to Gaskins, I lived in Calera for three and a half years. I had never held a real job before. I made a lot of memories with the boys there, of course, and I have nothing but praise for my administration, my coworkers, and the people of Calera. I will always hold a particular place in my heart for Calera, but I moved at the perfect time.
According to McQueen, the expertise that Gaskins, Patridge, and Blight have as head coaches will help him adapt into the role. Since he can rely on them to contribute a head coach’s perspective to their collective vision for the boys program, it allows him greater latitude to assign throughout training.
“It’s fantastic that we will have a fully stocked staff,” McQueen stated. It is also important to have assistants with head coaching expertise who have played at a high level. By letting them work with defenders or do drills with attackers, you can accomplish more during sessions and training because you won’t have to worry about micromanaging them or keeping an eye on them.
We are extremely fortunate to have the people that we do, and I can’t wait to collaborate with them.
