Melissa McClendon
Locust Grove is looking for coaches. The district is looking to fill the positions for football, basketball and baseball. Superintendent Dave Cash hopes to have the head football position filled by Wednesday afternoon. The new coach will replace the outgoing Scott Martin. Martin’s resignation was accepted at the Monday, May 11, school board meeting.
Cash said the school board interviewed potential head football coaches all last week. Out of approximately 40 applicants, the list has been reduced to seven. Cash said the finalists were invited to meet the school board Wednesday during a special meeting. The new coach is expected to be announced at the meeting.
The superintendent said the district has checked eight to 10 references per applicant in an effort to find the right person for the job.
“We’re looking for someone to come in here and be a stabilizing factor,” said Cash. “There have been some really good coaches apply.”
Finding a new head football coach is not the only position school board members will need to fill. Assistant football coach Rick Luetjen’s resignation was also accepted at the Monday meeting. Cash said Luetjen is leaving to take a position at Hennessey and Martin will be returning to Tahlequah-Sequoyah as an assistant football coach.
In new business, the board accepted the resignation of head baseball coach Bob Baldridge. Baldridge spent many years as the baseball coach at Salina before retiring. He came out of retirement to coach the Locust Grove high school fast pitch softball and baseball teams.
On the hardwood, the school district is also looking for someone to fill the position as high school girls assistant basketball coach.
