Many new faces grace the sidelines this fall
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
Published Aug. 30, 2006

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Last school year, the biggest change in high school sports was a dramatic one as three locals schools left the Southwestern Conference to join the new West Shore Conference. This year the biggest change is a little more subtle but possibly just as dramatic. More than any other year, there is a huge influx of new coaches and athletic directors.

It starts at the top as four of the West Life's nine schools have made changes in athletic directors. Former middle school athletic director Rob Coxon replaced longtime athletic director Paul Moses at Olmsted Falls, Rhonda Rickelman took over at Magnificat, former Bay athletic director Kevin Liptrap took the same position and the job of assistant principal at Fairview. Calls to determine who is the new interim athletic director at Bay were not returned.

Because teacher cuts eliminated 25 percent of the staff at Fairview, over 20 coaching positions needed to be filled for the 2006-07 school year. That included five positions for the fall including every male sport. Veteran teacher and head track coach Rich Friel took over both cross country teams. But many of the new coaches are from outside the system. Former Westlake assistant Mark Ohradzansky took over the football team, David Snow is the new boys soccer coach while Dave Wolle, Jerry Ulimsky and Jeff Wensing are the new golf coaches.

"We have a lot of new coaches and a lot of them are outside the building," Kevin Liptrap said. "I am a big believer in coach under construction and that is what we are going to be, coaches under construction. We are going to get it right. We are going to treat the kids as the parents expect them to be treated, as if they are our own sons and daughters. We will teach sportsmanship, integrity and ethics and win a few games along the way."

Rickelman previously spent 28 years at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin including 20 years as athletic director. She is very excited to be at Magnificat where she replaces Brigid Chambers who decided to stay home to raise a family.

"I am very happy," Rickelman said. "It is a great chance to do what I love."

Rickelman has three new faces joining her this fall as new head coaches. Kathryn Eckelman is the new varsity soccer coach. She is a 1993 graduate of Magnificat High School, where she played soccer for Magnificat and then for The Ohio State University. Her previous high school coaching experience was at the junior varsity and varsity level at Walsh Jesuit High School from 1998-2004.

"Katie brings a lot of experience from playing at the college level and from coaching at Walsh Jesuit, which is a traditionally strong program," Rickelman said. "It is a good fit."

Chris Johnson is the new tennis coach. He is also the varsity boys coach at Lakewood where he is a fourth grade teacher.

"Chris is a teaching pro but he is also a fourth grade teacher," Rickelman said. "He has that unique blend of being able to coach in a school setting."

Another Magnificat graduate, Jackie McNamara, is the new field hockey coach. She has played and coached at the college level.

"We are fortunate to have her," Rickelman said. "I think she will take the program to the next level."

Rocky River also has three new varsity coaches, but athletic director Wayne Rositano did not have to look very far to hire any of them. Kevin Kelley was an assistant under former head cross country coach Mike Foley. The new head girls soccer coach, Pat Hopkins, was a boys assistant the last few years and new head volleyball coach Benjamin Plummer was the freshmen volleyball coach last year.

"Kevin brings a lot of expertise from working under Mike Foley," Rositano said. "Pat has been with the boys program and he is an outstanding coach. He really knows the game and has brought fitness and conditioning to the girls program. We are expecting a successful season. Ben was the freshman coach. He has really stepped in and done a great job. He is very knowledgeable as a club coach and he played himself in college. He brings a lot to the table."

North Olmsted had two open fall coaching positions. Scott Moore is the new golf coach but he is not new to the North Olmsted coaching ranks.

"Scott is a veteran coach," athletic director Tim Carras said. "He has been a valuable person for us over the years as he has coached at both the middle school and high school levels. He is very experienced and an outstanding communicator. It was great to have him available."

The new girls soccer coach is Erika Kleinholz. She played for Michigan and comes from NDCL.

“Erika is a bundle of energy," Carras said. "She is an outstanding role model for young female athletes which I believe is very important. She was an outstanding player her four years at Michigan and brings a lot of knowledge to our program. I am very excited to have her coaching for us."

A familiar face will be alongside Kleinholz on the sideline. Former head Fairview boys soccer coach Jeff Kaufmann accepted a teaching job in the North Olmsted system and will be assisting Kleinholz.

"I have always been a big fan of Jeff's," Carras said. "He is very organized and his kids always played hard. We are fortunate to have him."

St. Joseph Academy had one opening this fall. Doug Foster maybe a first-year golf coach but he is a veteran coach ,as he is an assistant softball coach at Elyria Catholic.

"Doug brings a lot of golf experience," athletic director Jill Garlock said. "He has golfed since a young age. We liked that he had experience coaching high school girls. He is real excited about the growth of the sport of golf."

At Olmsted Falls, Coxon said having all veteran fall sports coaches has been a big benefit in his transition as the new high school athletic director.

"It has been a plus to have all of our Fall coaches back," Coxon said. "They are all not only very good people but they are very detailed. They have anticipated things on my end, allowing me plenty of time to get things done. It has been very busy. I have had a lot of support from administrators and coaches. It has been an all-hands-on-deck approach to get me acclimated."

Lutheran West and Westlake had their fall varsity coaches return intact. Bay still has not named an interim athletic director but has hired Steve Babson as the new boys cross country coach.