Llano High School coaching staff will see changes for next school year
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
LLANO — The Llano High School coaching staff will be different for the 2013-2014 school year.
Head baseball coach Mike Ridings will not return. Girls head basketball coach Daryl Friedrich was granted a request to coach at Llano Junior High.
And after athletic director Craig Slaughter decided to add the duties of girls coordinator to the basketball coaching position, Shawn Sweeten-Meredith, who had been the head volleyball coach and girls coordinator since 2006, resigned.
“She left totally of her own accord,” Slaughter said. “We are trying to level the playing field. We’re absolutely 100 percent volleyball all the time.”
Llano won the Class 3A state basketball championship in 2001-2002, was a state semifinalist in 2000-2001 and 2006-2007 and a regional semifinalist in 1999-2000.
But the Lady Jackets haven’t been back to the playoffs since the 2009-2010 school year.
“I think the area the girls have been, where they haven’t made the playoffs in several years, we’re going to fix that,” Slaughter said.
He said he is pleased with the achievements of the volleyball program, which made at least three trips to the playoffs under Sweeten-Meredith’s direction, but wants to see more teams enjoy that kind of success as well.
“Coach Sweeten did a great job,” he said. “I wish her the best.”
Sweeten-Meredith was hired as the head volleyball coach at Marble Falls in 2005-2006 and left for Llano the following year when former athletic director David Yeager offered her the position. Originally, Sweeten-Meredith turned down the job. But Yeager added girls coordinator to the duties. After that, she accepted.
Sweeten-Meredith started her new job as a volleyball coach at New Caney High School, a member of District 19-4A, on April 29.
“We wanted to let her start her new journey,” Slaughter said.
Meanwhile, the Lady Jackets are in their offseason program led by Friedrich, assistant coach Mike McIntosh and head softball coach Brian Cottle.
Slaughter and high school principal James Scott will make recommendations for girls coordinator and head basketball coach and baseball coach to the board of trustees during a special meeting May 7. Slaughter declined to give names of who would be recommended.
The two conducted the interviews, breaking tradition of creating committees to make recommendations on who should be hired.
“There’s too many people to try to get lined up,” the athletic director said. “I’m the one who has to evaluate and make changes. It’s a way more efficient deal, much more efficient.”
Slaughter said he is making calls to volleyball coaching candidates to set up interviews.
jfierro@thepicayune.com