Sterling High School has welcomed seven new coaches for the 2022 fall athletic and academic season.

  The S.H.S. Cheer head coach position has been handed off to Stacey Kested. Kested herself was a cheerleader during high school.

  S.H.S. Football added Matt Payton to their coaching staff this year. He played football during high school, and at Augustana College. To Payton, “coaching was the next best thing” in order to stay involved with the sport he loves. 

  Brendon O’Donnell has been named as the new Scholastic Bowl coach at S.H.S. Scholastic Bowl is mostly new to O’Donnell, however at his former school he had hosted a few competitions. O’Donnell is thrilled to get started claiming that “I felt like a game show host!” when he had previously helped out. 

  Karina Austin has taken over the reins as the head girl’s swim coach after previously being an assistant coach. Austin was a former coach for the Sterling Stingrays, so she has been coaching many of her athletes for years. She states that she “is looking forward to seeing how the team’s hard work reflects onto their scores at big meets.” 

  The S.H.S. girl’s tennis team has a new, but familiar, head coach this year. Kip Aitken has been the assistant coach for the past 12 years. When Aitken learned of the opportunity to be the head coach he decided to “absorb those responsibilities.”

  Former Sterling volleyball player Kaylee Martin returned to S.H.S. this year; this time as a coach and teacher. Martin wanted an opportunity to continue being involved in volleyball and felt as though “there was no better way than to do it at my alma mater.” 

  Sterling Cross Country hired a new assistant coach for the boys’ and girls’ teams. Clara Thorpe ran cross country for 13 years, and was eager to share her love and dedication for the sport with younger athletes. She enjoyed when the advice she gave her athletes “resulted in a positive change” during their race. 

  Sterling High School is eager to see the impact these coaches have on their respective programs. Each coach brings a new perspective, based on their own experiences, that should positively influence S.H.S. academics and athletics.