The WS sports program has been going through some major changes in the last few years and it continues this year with two more coaches leaving.
Two WS teams are losing their coaches, boys basketball is losing head Varsity coach Jason Eldredge and field hockey is losing head varsity coach Rosie Donaldson. Both teams will need to start over next year under new leadership. Rising seniors will have to take on a bigger leadership role to make up for the loss of their coach.
“We feel like we have a pretty good chance of doing well since we already know our new coach,” said junior Thaovi Vo.
The field hockey coach next year will be the assistant coach from this year Coach Tina Nham this gives field hockey an advantage because they will have known and worked with their coach before. Eldredge is leaving the basketball team so he can focus more of his time on the football program.
“I want to focus on football, I feel like basketball is in a good place I tried to do both for a year and I just don’t have time for both of them,” said Eldredge.
The basketball team does not have that advantage with WS choosing someone from the outside for their coach. This will force the team to get to know their coach over offseason conditioning and green days. The team will have to start from scratch next year to help rebuild the program with a person they will have not worked with before. The rising seniors will have to work even harder to get their team working together.
“I think they will do very well without me they know what they are doing and they are a very close group,” said Eldredge. “One of the reasons I feel comfortable leaving the program is because I feel like they can do well without me.”
Even though Eldredge will be staying to coach the football team it is always hard to say goodbye.
“I will continue to support and cheer for the basketball team but it is always hard to work on something you have a lot of pride in and then have to see it continue without you,” said Eldredge.