After Ken Shaw’s retirement, Lisa Wade, the 2009 assistant coach, took over as the varsity softball head coach. This will be Wade’s second year on the coaching staff.
Kirkwood Call: Tell us a little bit about your softball history.
Lisa Wade: “I started playing softball in first grade and played all the way through college and a little bit after. I have had experience coaching, but not high school level. I coached the City of Manchester in a recreational league for five years or so. I was offered a job by Coach Shaw last year as an assistant coach, then he retired. Now, here I am as the [head coach]. It’s great and exciting to coach here.”
KC: What inspired you to coach here?
LW: “My husband coaches soccer for Rockwood Summit High School and it was great to see him work with the kids. I started to have great times with my husband’s athletes, and I realized I wanted to get involved in coaching softball. I asked Shaw if there were any positions available then he came back and offered the job. I said yes quickly.”
KC: What are the expectations for this year?
LW: “I just want the girls to believe in themselves and get the program in a positive direction. I want them to improve in executing at the plate and on plays. Wins will happen when things are put together. It’s important to incorporate support.”
KC: How is the group you have this year?
LW: “Fantastic. Fantastic group of girls. The seniors help out the younger players and provide a good source of support. We have this thing we call the ‘glove sisters’ in which the upperclassmen work with the younger classmen so everyone will get to know each other. It’s worked out great. It has been fun to work with them everyday.”
Kirkwood native, Matt Irvin, will replace Larry Frost as the KHS varsity football head coach. Irvin taught social studies at KHS from 1993-1997. Irvin left New Trier High School in Chicago in 2009 to move back to Kirkwood.
Kirkwood Call: How is it to be back at Kirkwood?
Matt Irvin: “I’m familiar with the community, and my family is here. So it’s exciting to be back here at this great school.”
KC: What inspired you to come back and start coaching the football team?
MI: “I love being in a school that pursues in athletics, academics and activities. They care about everything here, and in their case, it’s important to be good.”
KC: What are the plans for this season?
MI: “We’re working on a process of improvement. I can’t really begin to tell you what’s going to be our strongest aspect yet, but I do know this group of players will work hard to compete. Also, we’re working to make these kids great not just at football, but great people, too. I have a great staff of coaches that’ll help us achieve our goals this year.”
KC: What are you going to do to achieve those goals?
MI: “We’re going to be competitive. As we approach games, we want to raise the bars of improvement and be a practice team. We’re teammates, and it’s important to incorporate teamwork. This isn’t like golf, practice three days a week by yourself. We’re a full-time practice football team.”
Janet Verbarg, 1978 KHS graduate and tennis player, took over Coach Art Stout’s tennis head coaching position after three years as the assistant coach. Stout retired last year after coaching for 53 years.
Kirkwood Call: What’s it like being the new KHS girls’ tennis coach?
Janet Verbarg: “It’s really fun so far, but it’s a lot more work than I thought. Like,
it’s not easy to figure out the singles line-up and doubles line-up. It takes a lot of time, but it’s all worth it. Everything will work its way out.”
KC: Tell us a little about your group of girls this year.
JV: “We have a fantastic group of girls this year. They’re easy to deal with and they know how to have fun. We all know it’s not great that we’re missing Amanda [Ziolkowska] in the line-up due to a wrist injury, but we’ll find a way to sort out the line-up without her here.”
KC: What’s it like not having Coach Art Stout around?
JV: “It’s very odd. His name comes up more than once a day, but of course in a good way. We miss him, and we are hoping that he comes out to support our team.”
KC: What are your expectations for the team this season?
JV: “It is a building year. We are trying to get the younger players into the mindset to take over in singles later on. Also, we plan to have a fun year. Everyone wants to win, but if you don’t play to have fun, what’s the point? We use the slogan ‘Play-Connect-Win’ to motivate us to go out to compete and have fun. It’s effective.”
