Prep notebook: Former Olympian to head Arlington wrestling program
Published 6:15 pm Monday, November 17, 2008
Arlington High School’s new head wrestling coach is a former Olympian who said he has wrestled in at least 110 different countries.
The Arlington School District hired Shaun Williams on Nov. 10, a week before the team’s first practice of the season. Williams, 31, is a first-time high school head coach who grew up in South Africa. He wrestled for the South African national team during the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and started competing around the world at age 16.
“He’s got a tremendous amount of international experience,” said Tom Roys, Arlington High’s athletic director.
Williams replaces Doug Byers, Arlington’s head coach in 2006 and 2007. Byers resigned in May after deciding to move to Colorado.
Williams, who also accepted a non-certified special education teaching job at Arlington High, said he looks forward to leading the Eagles in Washington’s toughest prep region. As a member of the Western Conference North Division, Arlington has powerful league foes such as Lake Stevens, Snohomish and Everett.
“I’m pretty excited,” Williams said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for me to start my coaching career after a long competitive career that I had.”
Williams previously was an assistant coach at North Idaho College and Central Valley High in Spokane. Before getting hired at Arlington, he was living Spokane.
Williams first met Arlington wrestlers last week and was encouraged by what he saw. “They are ready for the season. They want to work hard,” said Williams.
Last year Arlington sent six wrestlers to the Class 3A state championships and placed 19th in the team standings. It would great for Arlington to have similar achievements this season but long-term success is the priority, Williams said. The Eagles will compete in 4A this year.
Murphy hires Taloff
Archbishop Murphy has signed Hall of Fame coach Stan Taloff to head its baseball program.
“He’s a great fit,” Murphy athletic director Rick Stubrud said. “We’re excited. We couldn’t have found a better guy.”
Taloff retired in 2006 after 36 years in coaching and 421 wins. He coached at Shoreline Community College, Shoreline, Shorecrest, Heritage-Bothell and Cedar Park Christian High Schools.
Taloff, who lives on Camano Island, said it “wasn’t that hard” for Murphy to lure him out of retirement. “(They) came at me pretty hard and they have some great athletes.”
Winter practice begins
Monday was the first day winter sports teams were allowed to practice. The bulk of season-opening basketball, wrestling and boys swimming events are scheduled for the first week of December.
3A soccer scenarios
Some interesting possible matchups exist in the 3A girls soccer final four. If Everett (18-2-1) beats Kennedy (20-0-1) Friday in the semifinals at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood (Pierce County), the Seagulls will play a familiar opponent in Saturday’s championship: Either Seattle Prep (15-3-3) or Shorecrest (15-5-2), who will clash Friday in the other semifinal. Seattle Prep ended Everett’s season the past two years in the state quarterfinals. Everett beat Shorecrest earlier this month in the District 1 championship game.
Serviss’s double duty
Rob Serviss sure was busy this past weekend. As the head girls swimming coach of Snohomish (4A) and Glacier Peak (3A), Serviss was at King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way essentially all day Friday and Saturday. He wore a red Snohomish shirt for 4A sessions and quickly changed into a blue Glacier Peak shirt for 3A sessions.
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
