CHS close to filling coaching slots

Clovis High athletic director Brian Stacy said Wednesday that he anticipates filling the school’s boys soccer position today and the baseball job as early as Monday.

Stacy interviewed four candidates for the soccer position this week, but said two were eliminated because they didn’t match up with available teaching positions. The others are not in the district, and Stacy said he hopes to add both as contract coaches — one as the head coach, the other as an assistant.

Neither has any coaching experience at the high school level, he said.

Shaun Gill announced his resignation last week after six seasons at CHS to take a similar position at the new Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, which will begin varsity sports competition in 2009-10. CHS baseball coach Shane Shallenberger earlier accepted the baseball position at Cleveland.

Stacy said ideally the coaching position would be filled by a teacher.

“But coach Gill was a special ed and coaching, and having somebody like that is unusual,” he said.

Eight candidates applied for the baseball position, including three CHS assistants. Stacy said he has interviewed five candidates and will talk with a six th on Monday, while the other two were eliminated because they didn’t match up with teaching needs.

“We hope to know (the new coach) on Monday,” he said.