The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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April 20, 2006

East hunts for coaches

School seeking to fill four vacant varsity positions

By Shane Frederick

MANKATO — Todd Waterbury is approaching the end of his third year as activities director at Mankato East High School.

But he’s never really seen a situation like the one he’s facing right now.

East has four head coaching vacancies to fill for next year, including boys and girls hockey and boys and girls soccer.

“In one year, yeah, it’s a little high,” Waterbury said during East’s baseball game Tuesday night. “You might need four coaches but not four varsity coaches. We hope we don’t have that kind of turnover all the time.”

Not only do those positions involve coaching the varsity teams, but they oversee their respective sports from grade 7 on up.

“It feels like (a challenge), yeah,” Waterbury said.

Boys hockey coach Pat Michaud stepped down last week after getting hired for the women’s hockey and golf coaching jobs at the College of St. Benedict.

Girls hockey coach Larry Hartman had stepped up from an assistant’s job to head the Cougars last season, but, Waterbury said, “We’re trying to find a long-term solution there.”

Boys soccer coach Metone Wamma and girls soccer coach Randall McClure both resigned after their respective seasons last fall.

Waterbury said he hopes to have the soccer situation sorted out by the end of the month.

“We’re getting some good candidates,” he said, “including some internal candidates.”

Meanwhile, the school is shooting to have the hockey vacancies filled by the end of the school year. East also has teaching positions to fill, including Michaud’s social studies job, and those will be priorities for the school.

“We hope to find quality teachers first,” Waterbury said. “And if they happen to be hockey coaches, that would be great.”

The school is accepting applications for the hockey jobs until May 1.

Waterbury said he feels like the chance to head up East/Loyola boys hockey will attract quality candidates. In March, the Cougars made their first trip to the state tournament.

“We have some nice names coming in already,” Waterbury said. “I feel like we already have a good group to pick from, both from in town and out of town.”

By comparison, Mankato West currently has one head-coaching position to fill, varsity football.

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