Kim (Headings) Hayes, right, confers with an assistant coach prior to Jonathan Alder’s volleyball match against Olentangy. Hayes took over as JA’s head coach over the weekend.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Kim (Headings) Hayes
It’s been more than two decades, but Kim (Headings) Hayes has made her second debut as Jonathan Alder High School’s head volleyball coach.
Hayes’ second stint as the Lady Pioneer boss began Monday evening when JA (3-3) fell to Olentangy in five sets. Scores were 27-25, 12-25, 10-25, 25-22, 9-15.
The action came as a result of Matt Craycraft’s abrupt resignation on Friday.
With the move, Hayes becomes Alder’s third head coach in a year.
T.J. Reid guided the Lady Pioneers in 2016. He has since taken a job as an assistant coach at North Carolina State University.
Hayes, a former first-team All-Ohio spiker for Fairbanks High School in the late 1980s, previously served as Alder’s head coach for one season in the mid 1990s.
She began the 2017 season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Lady Pioneers.
Hayes was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season by athletic director Tom Vargo.
“Matt Craycraft resigned for personal reasons,” Vargo told the Journal-Tribune in an official statement Monday afternoon. “There was some inaccurate information presented during the employment process on his written application (for the position).”
Vargo would not make any additional comments about Craycraft, adding that he got direction on his statement from district superintendent Gary Chapman.
“I was contacted by school officials Friday night,” Hayes said before Monday evening’s game. “I said I would coach the team because I had been at practices as an assistant coach and I wanted to make it a smooth transition for the girls.
“I didn’t have any reservations taking over,” she said. “I’m happy to help.”
Hayes was thrown into the coaching fire right away as the Lady Pioneers did not have a single practice session under their new head coach prior to Monday’s match.
“We met as a team Saturday morning,” she said. “I think the girls are resilient and they’re looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Hayes said she plans very few initial changes early in the season.
“We’re not looking ahead past the week at hand,” she said.