The earliest date for practice — Jan. 27 — is nearing for spring sports. The Oglethorpe County athletic department will look different with three new head coaches.
The boys soccer, girls track and field, and golf teams will be led by new coaches this year.
Josh Austin will be the new boys soccer coach, as Eric Forschler will take a reduced role, focusing on coaching the girls team. Austin also is the girls wrestling coach and the football team’s offensive line coach.
“I think it’s something that’s keeping me young by not missing practice every day and being a part of the whole athletic culture,” he said. “I think sports is something that can take kids that aren’t in a good spot, and give them the best chance that they can, and I like to be a part of that.”
It will be Austin’s first year as a head coach, but it won’t be his first season coaching soccer. Austin coached for three years at South Hall Middle School in Gainesville and then was the JV coach at Chestatee before becoming an assistant coach for the Patriots last season.
Despite competing in a tough region, now without a guaranteed playoff appearance, Austin didn’t hesitate when asked whether his team could compete at the top.
“I really do. It’s going to be hard work, but that’s something that we’re kind of used to here at Oglethorpe County,” he said.
The girls track and field team will be led by co-athletic directors Mike Holland and Brianna Dickens following the retirement of Tim Stoudenmire.
Holland said he’s excited to coach alongside Dickens, who also coaches softball and girls basketball.
“She’s a heck of a coach, and she gets the most out of those teams and those girls, and I’m very excited to work with her,” Holland said.
For a program that has succeeded at the highest level in recent years, winning three of the last four state championships, Holland said he and Dickens want to continue that success, leaning on Stoudenmire when they can.
“I still talk to Coach Stoud a lot, so I’m sure I’m going to binge his ear a good bit,” Holland said. “It’s one of those things where if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and we’re going to try and do it as close to how Coach Stoud did it, and hopefully we don’t miss a beat.”
The golf team will be led by coach Gary Hughes, taking over for Dale Blaylock, who stepped away from coaching.
With three new coaches leading teams this upcoming spring, Holland noted the change in the athletic department as a whole, with Carlos Strong as the new boys basketball coach and Steve Mason as the new boys wrestling coach.
Aside from the new coaches, the rest of the department will have continuity, with Mike Campbell returning as the baseball coach, Maurice Freeman as the boys track and field coach, and Forschler as the girls soccer coach.
Finding new coaches isn’t easy.
“A big part of it is who matches up with what availabilities we have for classroom teachers, so that’s the biggest challenge,” Holland said.