BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — After a topsy-turvy summer, the Lady Cards have their new leader.
Martin County High School has named former Johnson Central standout Sammi Sites as the new head coach of the girls basketball program.
Sites takes over after Shannon Lewis stepped down just over two months after being hired to succeed legendary coach Robin Newsome.
For Sites, the opportunity to lead Martin County came with an appreciation for the program’s history.
“When approached by Martin County to become the next head coach of the Lady Cardinals, I was excited and eager,” Sites said. “Hall of Fame Coach Robin Newsome has had a remarkable career and has established a winning, competitive tradition. Building on 48 years of success means maintaining high standards of discipline and pride. As the new head coach, it is an honor to follow in her footsteps and continue the foundation she has built.”
Sites will also be tasked with providing stability after an unusual offseason for the program. Newsome retired following nearly half a century with the Lady Cardinals before Lewis was announced as her successor June 16. Lewis stepped down in August after accepting an opportunity closer to home.
Sites addressed that transition directly in her first message to players, families and the community.
“This summer has brought a lot of change,” Sites said. “With change, that can bring uncertainty, but it can also bring a powerful opportunity for us to grow together. Transitioning to something new can be scary, but my commitment to you is to offer stability, structure, transparency, and unwavering support. Thank you for your patience, trust, and dedication to this team.”
Sites brings strong 15th Region roots to Inez.
She starred at Johnson Central, where she surpassed 1,500 career points and finished just shy of 2,000. She earned all-region honors and played on five district championship teams.
As a senior, Sites led the Lady Eagles in scoring at 15.8 points per game and totaled 410 points. She also averaged 3.8 rebounds while helping Johnson Central capture the 57th District championship and finish runner-up in the 15th Region.
Sites was one of the area’s top perimeter threats as well, leading the district in 3-point shooting during her senior season and ranking among the top 32 in Kentucky from beyond the arc.
She signed with the University of Pikeville in 2021 and played two seasons for the Bears before finishing her collegiate career at Kentucky Christian University.
Sites has since moved into coaching after she took over the Magoffin County Lady Hornets midway through last season. She has also coached with Tri-State Pride on the AAU circuit.
Now, Sites will bring her experience as both a player and coach in the 15th Region to Inez as Martin County prepares for the 2026-27 season.
Her first challenge will be bringing the Lady Cardinals together and putting her own stamp on a program with nearly five decades of tradition behind it.
“The future is very bright,” Sites said. “So let’s build something we can all be proud of.”
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Martin County High School Lady Cards coach Sammi Sites in practice with the team last week. (Citizen photo by Roger Smith)