Burnet athletic director recommends track coach for girls coordinator, basketball job
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
BURNET — When Burnet High School administrators began looking for a new head girls basketball coach and athletic coordinator, they cast their net across Texas. But the one they hauled in was already in home waters.
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District athletic director Kurt Jones said he’s recommending assistant coach Doug Messer for the position.
Messer has served the district for the past eight years. He also was the former head girls basketball coach.
Mike Cavender resigned two weeks ago from Burnet High School to take a position in Cedar Park. But before leaving, Cavender recommended that Messer take over the program.
Jones will make the same recommendation to the board of trustees June 17.
The search for Cavender’s replacement did take a few days. But once officials posted the position and interviewed several candidates, including Messer, Jones was convinced the right leader for the Lady Dawgs was already on staff.
“He is what we were looking for,”Jones said.
Messer has spent eight years on the Burnet staff.
“He’s coach Cav’s right-hand man,” Jones said. “He’s a man of integrity. The girls in our program have a ton of respect for him. In my honest opinion, I don’t know what more the community would want.”
Messer has been the girls head track coach for several years. Jones said he doesn’t believe Messer will keep both head coaching positions. But like Cavender, Messer also will probably assume assistant track coach duties.
jfierro@thepicayune.com