Head girls varsity soccer coach Chris Hulse and head varsity baseball coach Nick Wegmann are displayed in a graphic. Both coaches, along with head varsity cheerleading coach Krystian Edwards, departed Clarke Central High School after the end of their seasons. “(I’m) dealing with 17 different positions and people who’ve been tenured for different periods of time,” Athletic Director Jon Ward said. “People hit different stages of their life and they’re moving on.” Photos by Luna Reichert (left) and Naomi Hendershot (right), Graphic by David Ragsdale
The positions of varsity baseball coach, girls varsity soccer coach and varsity football cheerleading coach will all be vacant at CCHS after the 2021-22 school year.
There will be three new varsity head coaches for the 2022-23 school year, with the positions of head girls varsity soccer coach, head baseball coach and head football cheerleading coach posted on the Clarke County School District hiring page.
Head girls varsity soccer coach Chris Hulse is the only one of the departing trio to leave the CCSD, while head varsity baseball coach Nick Wegmann and head football cheerleading coach Krystian Edwards will continue teaching at Timothy Road Elementary School and Alps Road Elementary School respectively.* According to Athletic Director Jon Ward, Hulse is leaving Clarke Central High School after he was offered the Athletic Director position at Monsignor Donovan High School.
“(Hulse has) served as an assistant athletic director for me for the last few years,” Ward said. “I know he really was torn between pursuing that opportunity and leaving the girls soccer program, but I’m excited for the move for him. I’m very confident that he’ll do a good job (at MDHS).”
In his final season at CCHS, Hulse coached the girls varsity soccer team to an 8-8-1 record. Girls varsity soccer winger Eleanor Mathews, a senior, has seen qualities in Hulse that she believes will benefit him as an athletic director.
“(Hulse is) very organized, very much good with planning, so I think he will be good at (being an athletic director). I think that’s a better suit for him,” Matthew said. “I’m glad Central’s gonna get a new coach, (and) all I hope is that they get a coach that is kind and just makes players feel like they’re important.”
Head boys varsity soccer coach and Associate Athletic Director Chris Aiken has interacted with Hulse and Wegmann throughout their time at CCHS and is sorry to see them depart.
“(Hulse is) very organized, very much good with planning, so I think he will be good at (being an athletic director). I think that’s a better suit for him,”
— Eleanor Mathews,
senior and varsity soccer winger
“(Hulse and I have) been in communication for 10 years so I’ve been very close with him. I’ve been friends with (Wegmann) now for a long time,” Aiken said. “(I) obviously hate to see the two of them not being the head coaches here, but I understand both of them have to do things that are best for them and their families and so I totally am excited for them in the next chapter and phases of their lives.”
Wegmann leaves CCHS with a 22-32 record over his two years as the head baseball coach. Head varsity softball coach and assistant baseball coach William Lance feels Wegmann left a positive impact on the baseball team.
“The kids enjoyed (Wegmann), but it also seemed like he pushed a little bit harder (than former coaches) on the kids to get more stuff done,” Lance said. “The kids really responded to that. I’ve coached different sports and different schools and sometimes you don’t see that.”
Looking back over Wegmann’s two years as head baseball coach, Ward is pleased with the baseball team’s performance under Wegmann.
“He’s leaving the program in very fine shape, not only from participation, but (also) the facility. He’s made great strides in upgrading the facility,” Ward said. “We’re very hopeful that we’ll be able to find someone who will continue to move forward with the program.”
The Clarke Central High School varsity football cheerleading team cheers on the Gladiators during their victory against Jackson High School on November 12, 2021. Cheerleader Zy’Keria Stevens only spent one year with outgoing head coach Krystian Edwards, but she felt Edwards still managed to affect her and the rest of that team during that time. “She taught us a lot about sisterhood, bonding, team bonding and things, how to get through certain situations, giving us certain talks that some of us probably didn’t have growing up,” Stevens said. “In the last couple of months that she was there, it felt like I’ve known her for years.” Photo by Lucas Donnelly
Similar to Wegmann’s players, Edwards’ cheerleaders are sad to see their coach leave CCHS.
“She was like a mother to us. She always kept the team together. If she didn’t like something, you best believe she was going to make us do it over,” varsity football cheerleader Zy’Keria Stevens, a junior, said. “It’s always good to have that type of person by your side who you’re not related to, but it feels like you’ve known for a long time.”
Ward believes that Edwards and her cheerleading team have set a strong example during her four years as head football cheerleading coach.
“Our girls have always represented our school well,” Ward said. “They’ve been involved when our football program has been on a good ride for the last few years and (Coach Edwards has) been right there a part of it.”
:She was like a mother to us. She always kept the team together. If she didn’t like something, you best believe she was going to make us do it over.”
— Zy’Keria Stevens
junior and varsity football cheerleader
No replacements have been named for the vacant head coaching positions as of yet, but Ward expects to have the positions filled soon.
“We’re hopeful (we can appoint new coaches) by the end of the school year so we can put the people in front of their players so they can speak to them prior to going into summer,” Ward said. “Krystian, Chris and Nick all have done a very good job in their programs, so you hate to see people move on, but it’s just part of the business.”
*Head girls varsity soccer coach Chris Hulse, head varsity baseball coach Nick Wegmann and head varsity football cheerleading coach Krystian Edwards were unavailable to comment.
