Ashley Hall athletics thriving with committed coaching staff
By David Shelton
Senior Writer
Charleston – As he takes on a more involved role within the Ashley Hall athletic department, Christian Alcantara is thankful to have the support and commitment from a strong roster of coaches.
Alcantara is the Athletic Director for Strategic Program Development and, as a former soccer coach at the school, realizes a strong coaching staff can make his job easier.
“Led by Coach Franny Slay, who is in her 41st year of coaching, our coaches' key strength is experience,” he says. “Each of our coaches brings a wealth of expertise as athletes and coaches, with many having collegiate or professional backgrounds. Their diverse experiences are integral to guiding our team to success.”
As mentioned, longtime volleyball coach and athletic director Franny Slay begins her 41st year at the school. Her leadership has guided the athletic program to numerous state championships. In volleyball, Slay has coached 12 state championship teams and has 10 state runner-up finishes. She has accumulated more than 850 career wins.
Ashley Hall excels in many other sports with state titles in tennis, cross country and track in recent years.
Heading up the tennis program is Charlotte Hartsock while Jeff Word is the cross country coach. Cassidy Rindge is the swim coach and Sarah Schaill directs the successful sailing program.
Cyndi Simpson is the equestrian coach and Ellen Reiber is the archery coach. Oliver Vanderhoof heads up lacrosse while Kelly Rogers and Allison Andrews serve the soccer program. Paige Crafton is the golf coach.
Alcantara was pleased with the overall competitiveness in athletics in the last school year and looks for even better results in the coming year.
“2024-2025 was a year marked by growth and achievement, and we’re committed to making 2025-2026 just as successful. We will remain focused on upholding the core values of Ashley Hall while striving for continuous improvement each day. As we look ahead, we embrace the challenge of a competitive region and are excited for the opportunity to showcase our talent, resilience, and determination,” concluded Alcantara.
