New high school announces fall and winter sports programs

Submitted

(Updated: Thursday, July 09, 2009, 6:20 PM)

School starts on September 8 for the new Minarets High School campus, but the first CIF interscholastic contest will be held earlier with the girls volleyball teams traveling to Clovis for a scrimmage on August 20. They will kick off their inaugural season at Liberty High-Madera Ranchos.

The school will run a limited sports program

Minarets' athletic director, Dave Hamm will lead the freshman and junior varsity squads with Bob Lofgren as the assistant.

The Mustangs will also field a cross country team in the fall as well.

"At the present time we are working on 'paper', and plan to have two teams in girl's volleyball, a JV team and a Freshman team," Hamm said.

"Of course, they will be really be two freshman teams but we hope to get them up to speed as quickly as possible and ready to compete by September 3."

Hamm coached for many years at Yosemite High in the girl's volleyball, boy's basketball, and boy's tennis programs.

The team has a full schedule for September which includes a game at Yosemite High School on Sept. 17 as well as mountain neighbor Mariposa on Sept. 22.

"We are still looking for games in October since all schools will be in league by then, it has been a little harder to schedule in between the league required games," Hamm said.

Hamm was very pleased to be able to get Lofgren to assist in the Minarets volleyball program.

"Bob recently retired from coaching and teaching in Modesto and has settled in Coarsegold," Hamm said. "He brings a lot of experience to the program and we are really happy to have him."

Steve Lopez has been hired as the boy's head basketball coach and both Hamm and Lopez have summer camps and fund raising efforts already underway.

"Steve is a great addition as well. I coached with Steve at Yosemite and he is a heck of a coach and really makes a connection with kids but is right there with the necessary discipline as well," Hamm said. "Plus, he is a real go getter and has put together the summer camp and a fund raising event already."

The school will run a limited sports program based on the first year enrollment of 125 and an interest survey done with the incoming freshman during the spring.

Minarets will offer volleyball and cross country in the fall, boy's basketball and girl's soccer in the winter.

"We are still working on the spring sports and hope to offer baseball and softball and we may do some interesting things as well, such as Lacrosse, boy's volleyball, mountain biking and who knows what else we may come up with," Hamm said.

"We want to engage as many kids as possible in some aspect of physical activity and competition. Sports can offer so many tangibles to student's life such as the social aspect and team and school camaraderie's, learning to be on time, work with others toward a common goal, discipline in your actions toward others, just a host of learning opportunities.

"We also have two great football guys on staff and while we will not be able to offer football this year, I would hope we can get something going by next year", Hamm added.

The school has limited facilities at this point in time and the school's gym is scheduled for completion in January while the soccer field is being worked on at the present time along with the baseball dugouts and softball field.

"I was here at the opening of Yosemite High and I remember how the volleyball team had to practice outside on the dirt and other sports had to make do as well so we will be in the same position for awhile," Hamm said.

The school has opened an athletic website and hope to start filling out schedules, putting rosters up, putting in game action photos, etc.

The website can be accessed at: www.mhsmustangs.us

"We are becoming known as a 'tech' school already so I expect there will be game action video and other exciting stuff on the website.

We want to give recognition and display the talents of the kids in athletics just as we have in ag and mock trial already with the incoming sophomores," Hamm said.

"We expect there will be struggles, of course, but that is a part of life and growing up as well.

This is also one of the great things that come out of competition is learning to handle adversity and not only adversity but handling yourself properly in successful ventures as well."