Says wish list items would help HCHS sports keep pace
(This article first appeared in the August print edition of the Hendersonian.)
New Henderson County High School Athletic Director Nathan Grace said much of the department’s processes will remain unchanged early in his tenure, but he expects some changes to occur as he gets his feet wet.
Grace said HCHS athletics have run smoothly in the past four years and teams have had successes (last year, girls softball state champs, girls basketball to the Sweet Sixteen and Final 4 for girls soccer, among others), but to keep pace in the future, the new athletic director says he’d like to add to the current athletic facilities at the high school.
The big item on his wish list is a large indoor multipurpose facility, what some might label a fieldhouse. Grace described it as a “big, big item,” but one that would allow HCHS to keep pace with what he’s seen while visiting other schools.
Part of his reasoning for the fieldhouse stems from the usage of the current facilities at the high school, especially during the cold winter months. The high school’s indoor practice areas include the main gym and an auxiliary gym, and most days after school, both gyms are booked solid with activities till 9:30 p.m.
Another item on Grace’s wish list is to get turf on the girls softball field and the boys baseball field. This will allow those teams increased practice time because muddy fields don’t come into play, he said. Turf is also another must-have to remain competitive, he said.
“That’s where you’re going to have to go if you want to be competitive,” Grace said.
Paying for those items won’t come easy, he said. And getting into the naming rights game will probably have to come as an additional revenue stream, he said, though he noted that incorporating naming rights to different facilities is not a quick and easy process.
“How do you do it correctly,” is a question he and stakeholders will need to figure out, he said. Grace said asking for money is difficult for him but knows increasing funding for the athletics department will be key to its future.
While working as a counselor at the high school for numerous years, Grace also assisted with the athletics department. He said his first couple weeks on the job this summer has his head spinning with all the paperwork and logistics, pieces of the job previous AD Mark Andrews, who was in the position the previous four years, handled.
So far, the most difficult task of his new job is staying on top of compliance issues, which means ensuring all coaches have fulfilled the mandatory trainings, done the paperwork, are up to date on any changes on sports safety initiatives and know the rule changes that may have come down in the offseason.
For fans this year, the cashless ticketing HCHS has used in recent years will continue, Grace said. The system is much more seamless than the old method of purchasing a ticket with cash at the gate and needs less volunteers at the gate.
A point he wants to improve upon is communication with parents, he said, adding that last-minute changes to schedules or other plans often didn’t get to where it needed to go in recent years.
Grace, a 1993 HCHS graduate, has been around the school system and its programs all his life. His father, Mac, spent 40-plus years in the school system and coached numerous high school and middle school teams. He also served as athletic director as South Middle School for numerous years.
Grace said he can see himself in his new role for 10-plus years, even though the first weeks he’s been “as lost as an Easter egg.”
“There’s so much paperwork,” he said.
Fall sports teams
Grace has high hopes for the HCHS fall sports teams. Here is a synopsis of what he said about each.
• Football: Coming off a 5-7 season last year, this year’s team has great returning starters though it graduated several key players. Grace said coach Josh Boston’s group recently attended a leadership camp that reaped the best results the coach has ever been a part of. Still, the Cols face a tough schedule that includes traditional powers Mayfield, Central Hardin, Owensboro Catholic and Owensboro. Grace figures the tough schedule will prepare the team for the playoffs.
• Boys soccer: Grace said more than 60 players came out for varsity and junior varsity teams this year, which resulted in 13 seniors on the varsity with just as many juniors playing for the Cols. He said Benson Pryor’s team is loaded at all positions and should challenge for the regional title with a chance to go to state. Team was 13-5 last year.
• Girls soccer: Grace said head coach Ben Dempsey is “real excited” about the group he has this year. Last year, the team battled through injuries and still made it to the Final 4. This year, all the injuries are healed and the team should once again made a deep run. Team was 14-9 last year.
• Volleyball: New coach Kelli Harris inherits a team that finished 12-24 last year. Grace said the team is excited and working hard. The Lady Cols will face a challenging schedule, he said. They lost in the second round of regional tournament last year.
• Girls golf: The very young team led by Grace’s wife, Jessica, are all underclassmen. But they’re good. Third in the region last year, Nathan Grace believes this team could win the region.
• Boys golf: Similarly, the boys team coached by Jessica Grace and Kevin Payne were third in the region last year. This team, like the girls, could make a run this year, Nathan Grace said.
• Cross-country: The number of runners is up and Grace says that can be attributed to coach Mike Sprague’s push to work with the middle schools and the fall meets hosted for grade school runners at the old Atkinson golf course. He said the push is to get as many runners on the top half of the leaderboard during tournament meets to advance on.
