NATCHEZ — Natchez High School has a new but familiar face heading the school’s athletic programs.

Alphaka Moore, who served as Natchez High School’s head girls basketball coach from 2012 to 2016, including two back-to-back state championships 2013-14 and 2014-15, has been named the school’s athletic director and head girls basketball coach.

“It feels really good to be back,” said Moore, who returned to Natchez from her hometown of Laurel, to take the position in June. “It feels like I never left. I jumped right back in. I know a lot of the kids. A lot of the kids I remember were in middle school then and are now in high school.”

Moore said she left Natchez in 2016 to go to her hometown of Laurel to be the head girls basketball coach, which she said was a great experience.

“My first year,” Moore said, “we went to the state tournament and made it to final eight for the first time in 30 years.”

Moore said she has been busy with the first days of school this week, and she is paying a lot of attention to fall sports, including football and cross country.

“Right now my goal is just to improve athletics in anyway I can, and help the programs grow to meet their full potential,” Moore said.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the Natchez High School athletic program will hold a Meet the Bulldogs rally at the Natchez Mall.

“On Saturday, we are looking forward to introducing all the fall sports teams, the football team, band members, cheer squads and basketball,” Moore said.

Moore, who holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree in educational leadership and school administration from the University of Southern Mississippi, has been named to the Mississippi Association of Coaches and its executive committee, which is associated with the Mississippi High School Athletic Assocation.

“Part of the Miss Association coaches role is assisting with All Star games and any decisions with high school sports,” Moore said.

Moore said she is excited about the upcoming basketball season, which begins practicing in October and playing in November, but right now she is consumed with football.

“Everything is going really good,” Moore said. “We are off to a really good start.”