A new high of 11 head coaches will lead Washington County high school winter sports teams this season.
Of the 11, three are in their first seasons.
At Fort Calhoun, Lilly Gossman launches the inaugural girls wrestling team this year. The Pioneer Wrestling Club coach notably qualified for the 2001 NSAA Championships out of Malcolm — the first female in state history to do so.
Tashia Wolf and Jake Polk, meanwhile, are Arlington High School's two new basketball coaches. Wolf leads the girls team after serving as an assistant during her daughter Macy's first prep season last winter. She also previously led the Eagles' junior high team.
Polk, however, comes to coach the AHS boys after leading the Centennial girls program to a 15-10 mark last season. He also led the Broncos to a 2021 state tourney berth.
Also in Arlington, Doug Hart will lead both wrestling teams for the second-straight year. He is in his fourth season leading the boys team overall.
FCHS' basketball coaches remain the same, too. Marty Plum returns for his fourth season leading the Pioneer girls. He has a 223-180 overall record as a head basketball coach.
Boys coach TJ O'Connor, meanwhile, is entering his eighth overall season as a head coach. He joined the Pioneers in 2019 and led them to the 2022 state tournament — Calhoun's first state qualification in 99 years.
In Blair, Matt Aschoff, Terry Bellamy, Erich Warner and Chris Whitwer all return to lead the Bears' winter sports programs. Warner is the longest tenured, starting his 19th season leading the boys wrestling program.
Bellamy, meanwhile, leads the second-year girls wrestling team for the second-straight year.
Aschoff is coaching his ninth girls basketball team at BHS, too, while Whitwer is set to lead his eighth boys squad.
Note: Swimmers from both Blair and Arlington will compete under the direction of Fremont High School coach David Struble this winter, too.
