By Robert Morgan | Published Sunday, August 10, 2008
This was an unusually busy summer for area athletic directors. Nearly a dozen head coaching positions had to be filled in the busiest offseason hiring craze so far this decade.
The good news is that all of the top jobs have been filled. That's a relief to some as classes begin in less than three weeks for all Wise County schools.
The biggest shakeup this offseason was in Alvord. After 19 successful years of service, Alvord coach Curtis Enis was reassigned as tennis coach for problems that former superintendent John Trice said originated years ago.
Enis, who received a contract extension in March for his duties as head coach in cross country, girls track and girls basketball, quit the newly created position earlier this month to take over the girls track program at 5A Mansfield.
Alvord athletic director Mike Chaney has filled all three positions.
Another significant change came in the Northwest ISD where Susan Elza took over as executive athletic director. She takes over for Leonard McAngus who will now focus the bulk of his time as head football coach.
With the district opening a second high school next year, McAngus would not have been able to serve as both a head coach at Northwest and athletic director for the district.
Gary Prescott, a former coach at Decatur High School, remains the assistant athletic director.
Brent Hand, who was reassigned at Decatur last year from head volleyball coach to an assistant in the cross country program, resigned last month but didn't go far. Hand, a Chico resident and graduate, was named the new head volleyball coach at Chico High School.
A list of all the head coaching changes are below:
Northwest Boys basketball Out - Mark Richardson In - Mike Hatch
Girls basketball Out - Alan Thorpe In - Arnold Parker
Baseball Out - Che' Hendrix In - Stan Gideon
Athletic director Out - Leonard McAngus In - Susan Elza
Boyd Girls basketball Out - Arnold Parker In - Lynn Cranfill
Volleyball Out - New position In - Misty Shephard
Chico Volleyball Out - Kelcie Newton In - Brent Hand
Alvord Boys basketball Out - Steve Cope In - Aaron Tefertiller
Girls basketball Out - Curtis Enis In - Robbie Schmucker
Cross country Out - Curtis Enis In - Sheene Schmucker
