JHS introduces new coaches

Consider the recently vacated head coaching slots for two of Jacksonville High’s spring sports programs filled.

Less than a month after Rachel Dean and Bill Gibson resigned from coaching girls’ track and field and softball, respectively, the Jacksonville District 117 school board unanimously approved the hiring of their successors at its meeting earlier this month.

Pete Lira, who has taught physical education for 20 years at JHS, will take over the Crimson girls’ track program, and Mandy Evans will be the new skipper of the JHS softball squad — a promising unit that finished 18-9 overall last spring and 9-5 in the Central State Eight.

When Gibson resigned after 10 years with the softball program (four as head coach), he had good things to say about Evans and expressed his hope that she would succeed him. When Dean stepped down from coaching girls’ track after one year, JHS turned to Lira, who came to Jacksonville from Kincaid 20 years ago — as a head football coach.

“I have the time,” said Lira. “I was approached to see if I was interested. I do have the time now that I didn’t have when all three (of my daughters) were at home. I do enjoy coaching, so I thought I’d take a stab at it.”

Lira coached JHS football from 1987 to 1991, then worked as an assistant to Mark Stuart from 1993 to 1997. Gary Tucker coached the JHS football team in 1992. Two of Lira’s daughters, Mallory and Kelsey, have already graduated from JHS. Both of them played softball. Lira said his youngest daughter Audra, now a freshman, is trying to decide between going out for track or softball this spring.

After soccer coach Steve West, Lira is the longest-tenured member of Jacksonville High’s athletic department. He began his coaching career at Kincaid, where he was head of the football and track programs.

“I have coached track before, but not girls independently,” Lira said.

In fact, plans are already under way to bring the boys and girls track programs at JHS together as much as possible.

“We’re going to try and combine the girls and boys schedules together as much as possible,” said Lira. “That way, we can utilize all of our coaches and have more of a co-ed situation, to try and help the girls and the boys as much as we can.”

The boys and girls track teams will hold informational meetings tonight at 7 p.m. at Jacksonville High. The boys team will meet with head coach Sean Saylor in the auditorium while the girls’ team will meet Lira in room 908.