Triad quarterback Jordan Simonelli fires a pass during a 2018 game. Cardinal officials will begin interviews soon to hire a new head grid coach.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Triad High School athletic director Gary Davis is at the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to hiring head coaches for two fall sports.
On one hand, he’s received more than 20 applications for the head football position that was recently vacated by Joe Cardinal’s resignation.
On the other, he hasn’t had any response to the head volleyball opening.
“We still have nothing as far as volleyball,” said Davis. “There has been zero interest expressed in the job.”
Davis has posted the volleyball position as being open twice on the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s web site.
Still, he hasn’t had a phone call, e-mail, fax, telegram, carrier pigeon or smoke signal from anyone who might even remotely be interested in coaching the Lady Cardinal spikers.
The position opened shortly after the conclusion of the 2018 season when Dayna Ober stepped down to continue her education.
The fact that no one has given any indication they want to take over the program has Davis scratching his head.
“I don’t get it,” he told the Journal-Tribune. “I’ve been getting the word out to various sources that we are seeking a head volleyball coach.
“I can’t think of anything specifically as to why we haven’t had any response.”
Davis is confident that he will eventually be able to hire someone for the position.
He hopes to have the job filled at some point during the spring.
“We will get it,” he said. “I just don’t know how or who.
“As far as that, your guess is as good as mine.”
Conversely, Davis is pleased with the 22 applications he’s received for the head football position.
“We’ve got a lot of qualified candidates,” he said. “We’ve received resumes from a vast surrounding, both in and out of state.”
“Approximately half of the candidates have previous or current head-coaching experience,” he said. “We are looking for an experienced coach who will take over and build the program.”
Davis said he has been sifting through the resumes over the past couple of weeks.
He hasn’t set a date for the first round of interviews, but added talks will begin “very soon.”
“We will pare down the number of applicants to a working number before we begin interviews,” said Davis. “We won’t bring all of the candidates in. We’re planning on at least three rounds of interviews.”
Davis said he also hopes to hire a new football coach during the spring.
While the athletic director is busy with the coaching positions, some of his girls’ coaches had or have been dealing with low roster numbers.
Basketball head coach Jeff Merklin had only 11 girls on his roster this past season and the school could not field a junior varsity squad.
Softball boss Shari Dixon is in the same boat.
She has only 15 athletes in her program for the upcoming 2019 campaign. As in hoops, there will be no JV squad this spring.
“Shari normally has 23 or 24 girls for softball,” said Davis.
Just why have both girl’ sports struggled with numbers?
“It’s just that we have a very small number of girls (20-ish) in this year’s freshman class,” said Davis. “This year’s eighth-grade class is similar in size and that’s our Achilles’ heel this year and even into next year.
“Our girls numbers in the sophomore and junior classes are solid, but with a small freshman class, we couldn’t or can’t field JV teams in basketball and softball.”
A solution to that problem, however, could be on the horizon.
“I can’t tell you off the top of my head what our seventh-grade girls numbers exactly are, but they are good,” said Davis. “I can see us bringing back JV girls basketball and softball teams in a couple of years when those girls are freshmen.”