By Bill Mitchell,
Special Writer
Columbia – The engine can get out of control on occasion and overload. No matter the desire, a person can have to much to do. When that happens something has to give and it did at Cardinal Newman.
Head football coach Mike Bolchoz, also an administrator at the school, decided he couldn’t do justice to both duties and stepped aside for Andy Smith. The same could be said for girls basketball coach Wanda Briley.
Briley has been replaced by Christine Haygood. The addition of Lorie Balint as the Cards’ swimming coach, replacing Shelley Rose, completed the list of changes managed by athletics director Mike Darnell.
Fortunately, the changes in coaching staff came close to home. Smith had served as an assistant for two seasons. Haygood coached the Cards’ B team a year ago and Balint had worked in and coached swimming circles of the Midlands for a lengthy period.
“Christine worked her young girls like a varsity last year,” Darnell said. “She insisted on the right attitude from her players. She made them understand that work demands a lot and she encouraged that.
“Lorie is a veteran coach with lots of coaching experience at many levels,” he added. “We feel very fortunate to have a person of that standing want to work with our program.”
Regarding the football change, Darnell said that Bolchoz will still be involved with the program, working with the B team and other young players.
“I have known Mike a long time and I could see that he had a lot on his plate,” Darnell said. “With Andy on the staff and anxious to be a head coach, it seemed the perfect time to make the change”
By focusing on football Smith is working on establishing a football attitude. that includes a great deal of year around work.
“We must work toward establishing a football mental atittude,” Smith said. “We need to focus on things such as the weight room and seven-on-seven competition. Just get people to start thinking about football.”
The nature of football requires competitive people and Smith wants to bring that out.
“Football is a tough game played by tough kids,” he said. “We have the parts here to make that happen, but, obviously, it won’t happen overnight
“Our numbers aren’t bad, but we need to encourage a more competitive spirit. We have the people to do it and the sooner the better.”
The remainder of the athletic staff remains unchanged,. Darnell is the head baseball coach and Eric Goff returns to handle the Cards twice-defending champion wrestling program. Bob Watson remains n place in volleyball.
Doug Frye heads the successful softball program with Will Eudy and Steve Berzins overseeing boys and girls soccer. Kevin Rose handles boys basketball.
Chip Blackmon and Amy Martin coach boys and girls tennis respectively, Ellen Jennings is in charge of cheerleading and Brittain Torrence deals with cross country.
