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The Official Student Paper of Riverside Poly High School

Coaching Changes

Mar 6, 2015

VACANCY: Athletic Director Mr. Jim Vaughn looks to hire a new varsity boys’ basketball head coach following the resignation of Mr. Mark Vanta.

By Frank Racobs, Staff Writer

After serving four years as head coach and being named the 2011-2012 Riverside County Coach of the Year, Mr. Mark Vanta left the Poly boys’ basketball program. Before taking the position as head coach, Vanta served as assistant varsity coach to his father, Mr. Mike Vanta, for nine years. He was also a starter on the 1996 CIF Semifinal Poly basketball team. For some, Vanta’s departure from the program does not come as a surprise, considering his new teaching job at King High School. Now that the head coach position is vacant, some of Poly’s lower level coaches hope to fill the spot.

Current junior varsity  (J.V.) head coach Mr. Mike Ritter is hoping to fill the position. Ritter began his coaching career at Poly as the freshmen head coach in the 2012-2013 season. Following that season, he became the J.V. head coach for both the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Ritter is one of the candidates for the varsity head coach position who does not lack in coaching experience, as he coached local youth basketball teams for nine years and has played college basketball at multiple schools including University of California, Riverside. Ritter is interested in the job because he has been coaching the 2016 group of seniors since their freshmen year and believes that they can repeat the success of the 20-1 season they had as a freshmen team in the 2012-2013 season.

Mr. Allie Berry is also hoping to obtain the position as head coach. Similar to Vanta, he  has a history as a Poly varsity basketball player. Berry, if chosen as head coach, said that he hopes to be a “teacher first” and a “coach second.” Berry also hopes to focus on player development as a coach.

Mr. Vaughn is looking for a new head coach who will “revitalize” the program and “take it back to the levels of success that we have had before.” No matter who Vaughn picks as the new varsity head coach for basketball, one thing is certain: the program will be experiencing many new changes.

 

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