Due to the lack of coaching in the 2022-2023 school year some athletes are struggling to participate in their sport.

    The lack of qualified adults willing to coach sports teams has left some athletes out of the competition. “It’s a challenge to find teachers who can coach the sport and dangerous to allow people who do not understand the sport to coach. It is difficult to provide all the sports that Orange County wants us to provide and it’s important to offer these sports to provide the structure needed to train properly,” said Athletic Director Frank Pendergast.

   While there were students who wanted to compete this winter in wrestling, the school could not find a coach to fill the position left vacant after last season’s coach left the school.“I was really looking forward to wrestling this year, especially since I have been getting into combat sports. I didn’t get to go practice as much as I would have liked last year so wrestling being canceled wasn’t great this year,” said sophomore Emilio Mendez.

   Because coaching a sport requires specific skill sets, the ability to commit to afternoons and weekends for practice, a background check and clearance from the county, few adults are able or willing to step into the role of coaching. “Girls wrestling is suffering without current coaching. Our main coach is also coaching flag football which causes him to be busy with that and results in his showing up to our meets late. Our co-coach, Kelsy is great, but she is still learning with us. I am worried about next because our only senior Mia who is responsible for us learning proper form and leading practices is graduating this year,” said sophomore Michelle Hernandez. 

   The UHS swim team was also affected by coaching challenges. After the swim coach left just before the beginning of the seaon, Coach Kevin Roberts and Alyssia Trebits had to return for another season. “The team was told at the beginning of the year that we were going to have a new swim coach, however the swim coach quit very close to the start if the new season which threw everything into a loop. Thankfully a parent and last year’s swim coach, Kevin Roberts, stepped up again and did his very best to organize everything” said senior Keira Roudabush.