Chico hires former Decatur coach to rebuild program
By Robert Morgan | Published Thursday, July 24, 2008
Chico athletic director Pete Hart did not have to look far to get a new volleyball coach. He interviewed Brent Hand a little more than a week ago and on Thursday the school board approved hiring the 31-year-old coach.
Hand, who has lived in Wise County all of his life and graduated from Chico in 1995, will take over for Kelcie Newton after just one season. Earlier this month, Newton was offered the top job at Clarendon College in the Texas Panhandle where she played as a collegiate standout.
There is work to be done at Chico where the volleyball program has struggled since last making the playoffs in 2004. The Lady Dragons were 2-30 last season, but the new leader says quick changes are expected. Hand is the fourth coach in the last four years to try to turn things around.
"Brent is the first head volleyball coach since I have been here that brings in head coaching experience," said Chico athletic director Pete Hart. "We have a coach that has been there, done that and knows how to win. There are a lot in this community that believe in him. He is a Chico boy."
The new coach is ready to get the new era in Chico volleyball started. In fact, he has his first parent meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday night at the high school.
"I know a lot of the kids here and they are talented," said Hand. "I think they will win more than people think. I also believe they can take one of the three playoff spots this year."
Hand is no stranger to making the playoffs. In his first year as head coach in Decatur, he led the Lady Eagles to their first playoff appearance ever in 2004. The Lady Eagles advanced to the state playoffs all three years he led the program.
He was named District 8-3A Coach of the Year when he guided DHS to its first - and only - district championship.
Hand, who was granted a release from his teaching contract this week by Decatur Superintendent Gary Gindt, asked to be reassigned at the start of the 2007 season for personal reasons but assisted with cross country. He also coached basketball and track during his six-year stint at Decatur.
"Brent is a proven coach that has experience and a great knowledge of the game. I look for him to turn our program around," said Hart. "He already has the respect of a lot of our kids and parents because he has coached them in spring leagues and with private lessons. Several people came to me when the job opened and asked that we lookat Brent."
Hand, who will teach speech at Chico High School, will also be an assistant softball coach where he will work with Mike May. That is an opportunity Hand is already looking forward to.
"Mike was my basketball coach when I played at Chico," he said. "I really looked to him back then and it will be neat to get a chance to coach with him. I'm in a really good position here and I'm ready to get to work."
Alvord hires new coaches
Alvord athletic director Mike Chaney has hired four new head coaches for the upcoming school year. The open positions are the highest number he has had to fill in his seven years on campus, but his staff is now complete for the start of athletics in two weeks.
Three of the four vacancies were due to the reassignment of Curtis Enis to tennis coach. It took three people to fill the void, but the new leaders are in place.
Robbie Schmucker will take over the girls basketball program while his wife, Sheene, is the new girls cross country coach. They both come to Alvord from Lockney.
The open head girls track position went to longtime Alvord Coach Don Deweber. He is a member of the football coaching staff and is also the boys and girls powerlifting coach.
Chaney also had to find a new head coach for boys basketball when Steve Cope stepped down at the end of the year. Aaron Tefertiller will take over the program after having a successful run at Bellevue.
