Taking student athlete interest in a growing program seriously, the West Liberty Community School Board of Education approved the job description and hiring of a high school girls wrestling coach on Monday, March 21.
Activities director Adam Loria said the program, which was sanctioned this year at the end of the season by the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union, had a total of 15 participants this past season and expects that number to grow to 18-20 next season, possibly finding it necessary to hire even an assistant coach for the program.
The district didn’t have a complete job description in place last season when volunteer Samantha Sebolt was named head coach for the program but she never completed the season, resigning from the district as a paraeducator. The program was then taken over by WLHS boys wrestling coach Ian Alke who helped start the program just three years earlier. He was assisted this season by Dillon Christensen.
Loria said the goal for the district is to run the girls program entirely separate from the boys, unofficially anticipating a similar schedule to the boys although there won’t be a River Valley Conference schedule because not all schools have similar interests, some anticipating sporting just one or two wrestlers at meets while the Comets could field an entire team.
He said there are a lot of schools anticipating having the girls wrestle before the boys at many meets and said that although nothing official has been announced, he is expecting the IHSGAU to host a separate girls state tournament as well. Previously, the “state tournament” has been an individual entry at a meet held in Coralville.
Loria said although the boys and girls sometimes practice and lift weights together in the same wrestling room facilities, he anticipates that will change in the future if the district builds a new sports complex south of the high school, moving all the weight equipment to one place and utilizing the present weight room as a practice wrestling area for the girls.
Board member Ed Moreno initially was not in favor of hiring a coach, pointing out he’d like to see the final number of athletes before making that commitment, but changed his thinking as the conversation progressed. Loria pointed out the sooner someone is hired for the position, the more structure could take place within the program, including getting involved in summer mat competitions.
Board member Becky Vargas said there is definitely high interest in the girls program and felt a need for moving forward. Board president Jake Burroughs agreed that it would be difficult to manage that many athletes if coaches were not added to the staff.
The job description listed qualifications including a valid state certificate of coaching and successful experience in the field. The position goal was to “help each participating student achieve a high level of skill and appreciation for the values of discipline and sportsmanship, team work, acquire the knowledge of skills and fundamentals of the sport and an increased level of self-esteem.”
The job description listed 25 responsibilities from typical coaching responsibilities to giving a full report on the success of individuals involved in the program at the end of the season. Anyone interested in the position is asked to contact Loria at the District Administration Office on Elm Street.