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October 31, 2003
Girls success keeps Lauver optimistic
Part One: Oct. 17 - Rich Lauver, the new athletics director at Pahrump Valley High School, gives an overview of the Trojans' programs. Part Two: Oct. 24 - Hiring a baseball coach is one of the priorities at Pahrump Valley High School. Part Three: Today - Girls sports at Pahrump Valley High School have experienced great success the last few years. -- The 2002 Pahrump Valley High School girls golf team won the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association state Class 3-A championship. Last week, the Lady Trojans actually shot 24 strokes better than they had in 2002, but coach Julie Floyd's team finished second to Winnemucca Lowry. In spring 2003, the Lady Trojans claimed a state 3-A title in fast-pitch softball, under the direction for the first time by coach Rich Lauver In basketball, the Lady Trojans, with Bob Hopkins as coach, have advanced to the Final Four twice in the last three years and missed by a point of qualifying three consecutive years. In volleyball, coach Jill Harris's Pahrump Valley team made it to the state finals in 2002, bowing to 12-time champion Overton Moapa Valley. In track and field, Erin Szelagowski, then a freshman, scored in all four of the events she entered in the state 3-A finals at Henderson last spring. Szelagowski is one of the major reasons coach Jason Odegard is excited about the 2004 campaign; having a new track complex ready to go is another. It is a record of success Lauver, now the Pahrump Valley High School athletics director, believes will continue if the focus remains on the prize. "It's great what the girls golf team did, and as long as the youth golf program continues as it has, I think we will continue to excel," said Lauver. While the Pahrump Valley Junior Golf Association can't play at the now-closed Lake View Executive course, golf will benefit from the expansion to 18 holes at Mountain Falls and the continued presence of Desert Greens, a pitch-and-putt facility on Wilson Road. "There are always people willing to help young golfers, and as long as these programs run smoothly, I think we can continue to do well in golf," said Lauver. Lauver will continue to coach the fast-pitch team, which will defend its state championship next spring, with many of the key players of that title drive expected to return. "But even before I became coach, fast-pitch softball has had a major impact on athletics here," said Lauver, aware of the contributions Susan Toomer and Jamie Winterton made to the program. Lauver smiles when he talks about girls basketball. "There is nothing I can do to help or improve on the great job Bob Hopkins is doing with that program," said Lauver. "The only thing I would like to see is for the girls to spend more time in the weight room and get physically stronger. But that is something I would like to see all of our teams do." In volleyball, the Lady Trojans have recorded three consecutive 20-win seasons, and last week, they ended Moapa Valley's eight-year unbeaten streak against Class 3-A rivals. The Pahrump Valley girls will go after another trip to state when they host the Southern 3-A regionals Nov. 7. Moapa Valley will be out to make it 13 straight state championships. In girls soccer, coach Renee Park took over for Sharon McMurtry. Thus far, only perennial title contender Boulder City has been able to dominate the Lady Trojans; the Eagles are 4-0-1 against them this fall. Next Thursday, the Southern regionals will be played at the Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex on the Cimarron-Memorial High School campus in Las Vegas. Pahrump Valley has girls and boys teams in track and field and cross country. Lauver is confident the construction of the new high school track will help both programs. "It is exciting about what is happening in cross country, which is a sport I think we have to have," said Lauver. "It is still in its infancy here, but I am impressed with how well some of our runners are doing." The progress of the Trojans will be determined today, when coach Ed Dabrowski's teams compete in the regionals at Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City. Both the boys and girls will try to advance to the state championship meet to be contested Nov. 8 in Reno. In the spring, Pahrump Valley will have a state-of-the-art high school track "and that will help all of our programs," said Lauver. The track will be the centerpiece of what is becoming a vastly-improved facilities complex. "I believe my job is to develop a four- or five-year plan, and to give coaches the opportunity to build winning programs," said Lauver. "Some things are already being implemented. But the most important thing is that all of the coaches and I are on the same page. "And that is to do what we can to improve each sport and get the most out of each possibility that presents itself," said Lauver. The true test for Lauver, however, will be to get not only the coaches, but the community to buy into which direction he wants Pahrump Valley High School programs to go in. Of primary interest is to see how middle school and off-season programs to assist in the physical and competitive skills are developed. Golf has the Pahrump Valley Junior Golf Association ... Soccer has the American Youth Soccer Organization ... Baseball has the Pahrump Little League and there are summer softball leagues. Boys and girls 7 to 14 years have ample opportunity to improve on their games in these sports. However, the lack of strong summer programs for baseball and fast-pitch softball players 15-17 has to be overcome. There is no youth football program in place where kids in the fourth and fifth grades can start working on fundamentals, and give Rosemary Clarke Middle School coaches some players who have had a head start. These last four paragraphs are a topic for future commentary. Stay tuned... |
