• Native of Charlottesville, VA (attended Albemarle HS and The Miller School)

• Attended VABA's Summer Camps as a youth.

• Led her Miller School team to two conference championships and two appearances in the State Championship Game

• Played Division II and III basketball at Coker and UVA-Wise, respectively

• USBA National Champion Coach (2018)

• Experience as a varsity girls Assistant Coach (WAHS) and AAU Girls Head Coach

• Volunteer 7th & 8th grade Girls Coach with VABA

• Long-time, local experienced leader, coach, mentor of girls basketball players

     Born in Miami, Florida and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, basketball has been a part of Coach Kirby’s life since she was ten 10 years old. Although she dabbled in about every sport there was basketball had always hard her heart.  “The camaraderie, the fundamentals, the creativity,  the sound of the net swishing, the hard work and sweat, everything about the game spoke to me.”  Coach Kirby began her career playing AAU at the young age of 10, and her love quickly grew from there.  Cassie spent the majority of her adolescent years going from practice to practice, to extra work outs, to homework, and early morning gym sessions.  Cassie first became introduced to VABA when she attended a girls basketball camp, one summer, and began training with Coach D’Alessandro.  Coach Kirby attended Albemarle County Public schools her whole life, but prior to her junior year, she decided she wanted more.  She began looking into Prep school, with the goal of trying to play college basketball, and she eventually fell in love with The Miller School of Albemarle. During her time there, she led her team to appearances in back-to-back Virginia State Championships, winning multiple conference titles along the way.

                While at The Miller School, Cassie signed a National Letter of Intent at Division II Coker College in South Carolina. After playing two years of college basketball, Cassie decided to move closer to home.  She transferred to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise where she finished out her basketball career and her education.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management with a minor in Biology.  Graduating from UVA-Wise in 2014, Coach Kirby returned home to Charlottesville and immediately began my coaching journey.  In 2014-15 (just one year after graduation), she began her coaching career, officially accepting the position of Assistant Coach for the Western Albemarle High School girls basketball program.  Coach Kirby worked alongside former VABA Coach, and Head Varsity Coach, Kris Wright, for the next four years, helping lead the program through a great deal of success throughout her tenure.    

                During this time, in the summer of 2015, Coach Kirby also began coaching AAU Girls basketball.  It was at the AAU level that Coach Kirby’s love for the game began, and her passion for coaching and mentoring grew as she strove to infuse the same love of the game that sparked her journey so many years ago.  It was through the competition at the travel level that she began to realize her gifts as a leader.  Over the course of the next three years, she continued to build her AAU program and her resume, winning many tournaments, and eventually leading her team to the USBA National Championship in 2018. After five successful years as a varsity assistant and AAU Head Coach, Cassie decided to volunteer her time with 7th & 8th grade VABA “Lady Warriors” (Western Albemarle) which eventually led to the decision, in March of 2020 to join VABA’s Team as the Director of Girls Basketball and Bruins (AAU) Director.  Upon accepting her position with VABA, she stated, “I want to continue to help VABA be the best basketball in the area. I hope to help it grow and become even better over the coming years!  Overseeing the girls programs is truly an honor, especially  following in the footsteps of Sarah Pastorek and Chelsea Shine who both did a terrific job.  So many superb female players have come out of the VABA program, and I hope to help continue that.   Also running the Bruins AAU program is right up my alley because of my long experience as an AAU player and coach.  It is a privilege to join such an established program which stands on such quality values and character, and I am excited to officially be a part of the VABA Family!"