This year, South’s athletic department saw 37 coaching vacancies, and 17 spots have yet to be filled, Athletic Director Tom Mietus said.
The district added new coaching positions and coaches because of retirements, job oppurtunities, and positions being created, Mietus said. There are certain necessary characteristics in a good coach and it is not as easy to find acceptable applicants, Mietus added. Despite the difficulty, there are many new, and exemplary additions to South’s coaching staff, he said.
Cassidy Price, the new Girl’s Soccer Head Coach, secured her promotion through coaching Lake Forest College Soccer, a local soccer club, Price said. Along with her accomplishments and extensive experience, Price has a bright attitude on how she plans to be a successful coach. Once a South soccer player herself, Price uses her experience to describe her outlook on coaching.
“My passion is making sure that my players love the game, and continue to share [that love],” Price said. “Our job as coaches is to support the growth of players on and off the field.”
Another new coach this year is Travis Myers, Boys’ Baseball Head Coach. Previously, Myers coached at Sterling High School and played college baseball at Division III level at Illinois Wesleyan University. His experience at the collegiate level was necessary in acquiring his previous position, as a pitching coach, Myers said. Myers believes that a successful
coach should listen to his players and promote their growth, he said.
“Being a good coach means you [aren’t afraid] to be demanding,” Myers said. “It means you are open-minded, and you’re [willing] to develop people, not just athletes.”
Not only are there new head coaches this year, but there are also new assistant coaches. Braden Bisram, P.E Teacher and SRT supervisor is in his first year of teaching and assistant coaching for football and wrestling. Although he initially only had a teaching job set up at South for the 2023-2024 school year, Bisram decided to reach out to Dave Schoenwetter, football Head Coach, to apply for a job as the assis- tant coach, he explained.
“To me, being a good coach is getting young ath- letes to learn life lessons from their sports,” Bisram said.
Price, Myers, and Bisram’s backgrounds and ad- mirable attitudes toward coaching illustrate South’s high hiring standards for their coaching staff, Mietus said.
Some sports at South have numerous types of coaches, Mietus explained. There can be coaches for specific positions in the sport, ranging from assistant to head coach. In the football program, there can be as many as 12 different coaching levels, Mietus add- ed.
“We’re looking for [a qualified coach] who can build a program,” Mieuts said. “It starts with that person who understands the sport and knows how to create a culture within [their team].”
