Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports
The Coaches Comment September 2023
President's Message
I hope this letter finds you all starting the 2023-24 school year with excitement and success. The fall sports seasons are underway, and coaches are working diligently to get their programs headed in the right direction. The countless hours and energy by coaches to ensure that student athletes have success is tremendous. I want to take this opportunity to remind you to also make time for yourself and your support network. I personally wasn’t very good at this and oftentimes told myself it was fine, that people understood, and that I would create that time once the season was over; however, we can’t be narrow in our thinking. Our best versions of ourselves are often because of those around us. Your family, friends, and loved ones are often your biggest fans. You need them to be successful. Invest in them, and you will be better. When you are better, you are better for your student athletes which will, in turn, make them better. I hope you will take advice from an old coach as it will pay dividends to you and yours.
Please take the time to register with CCGS at the colocgs.org website. Pay your membership fee to ensure you can vote for your all-state athletes in softball, volleyball, and basketball. We are also looking for folks to volunteer with the existing board in various roles. We have reached out to a few of you already and still need more. Please help us keep this unique opportunity for our student athletes.
CHSAA is continuously evolving and meeting the needs of its membership. One of those ways is the creation of the “MANY FACES OF LEADERSHIP” event on 9/7/23. This event was created to build a supportive, encouraging community of women in education-based activities and athletics across the state. They are welcoming all school personnel, coaches, sponsors, and admin. You can email CHSAA Associate Commissioner BETHANY BROOKENS at bbrookens@chsaa.org or register online through this link: RSVP HERE It will be a great chance for you to collaborate and help embrace leadership. Also, if you are a current member, CCGS will provide scholarship opportunities for this event. Please contact me if you are interested in this scholarship opportunity.
Thanks for taking the time to read the newsletter. We are looking forward to working with you all as coaches, officials, and anyone who wants to be empowered to take the plunge and embrace leadership opportunities in any and all forms. CCGS has been in collaboration with CHSAA as the event aligns with our goals. It will be held at the Stanley Marketplace in Aurora at 7:30 am.
David Walck
CCGS President
Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, Fossil Ridge High School
It is Time to Update Your Membership
Softball
Hello Softball Coaches!
I hope that this letter finds you enjoying the wonderful sport of softball as you kick off your season.
As most of you know, the all-state softball games started with CCGS in 1987 and have been a great way to recognize female athletics across the state. Additionally, the games have carried female athlete recognition across the country. However, these games do not happen without the help of all of you. For this I cannot thank you enough.
Here are some important dates. Please mark you calendars for the following:
- Ballot Due Date: Oct 20
- Softball Chair, Khara West will email out the link to the ballot at the end of
September for you to take to your league meeting.
- Selection Meeting: Membership required to participate
- Date: Oct. 22, 2023
- Location: Virtual - Zoom meeting; current members will receive a passcode to the meeting
- Time: 9:00 am
You can update your membership; Head coach = $30, Asst Coach = $15 (it needs to be current in order to vote or coach in the games; only one vote per team)
*** You must be a registered member by 6pm the day before the meeting in order to
receive a link to join the selection process ***
· payment through website … https://colocgs.org/ and click on the gray "Member Registration" tab to create an account
*** No last minute registration can be accepted due to limited staff to manage***
- All-State Softball Games:
- Date: Sunday, November 5, 2023
- Location: Games at Long Lake Complex/Fields (17850 W 64th Ave, Arvada, CO 80403)
- Time: 10AM check in for all Athletes; team building/pictures, 12:30 ceremony - games to follow
- If you have any questions, please email or call.
Good luck with your season and we will see you at the CCGS All State Selection and Games.
With gratitude,
Khara West
CCGS
SB Chair
303-981-1714
Volleyball
Welcome CCGS volleyball members. Hope you had a great summer!
New this season: a coach representative from your league meeting will need to type the ballot into Jotform for nominations where the volleyball committee will be getting the ballots for the volleyball selection meeting. A link to this form will come out in a later newsletter and will be available on the CCGS website. Please remember that you must be a current member of CCGS to vote at the selection meeting. To renew your membership, go to colocgs.org and open the blue "Member Registration" tab. Dues are $30 for head coaches and $15 for assistant coaches.
Important dates:
CCGS Volleyball Selection Meeting - November 12th at 9:00am. Place - TBD
CCGS Volleyball Practice/Games - November 18-19 Place – TBD
We have had structural changes happening at CCGS. Of the greatest importance is that a coach from each classification will be assisting the sports chairs in collecting the league nomination ballots and creating the all-state nomination ballots, overseeing their classification’s selection meeting, and contacting the athletes who have been chosen to play in the all-state games.
We greatly need volunteers to work the CCGS games on November 19th. If you are interested, please reach out to me.
Wishing you all good luck in your seasons!
Lisa Schumacher,
Sterling High School
Volleyball 1-3A Sports Chair
Helen McCall Coach of the Year Nominations
Every year the Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports honors an outstanding coach with the Helen McCall Coach of the Year Award. We are looking for nominations for this great honor.
Nomination criteria:
· Must be a current coach of a girls' sport (officials and athletic directors may also be nominated)
· A person who promotes good sportsmanship, promotes the total student-athlete,
and is a positive role model for the female athlete
· A person who is actively involved in increasing his/her knowledge of athletics
· A person who has been active for a minimum of 10 years (Her/his career in athletics may have been at a variety of schools or levels)
The coach that you nominate need not be a state champion but a coach who gives his/her athletes a strong athletic foundation emphasizing loyalty, perseverance, sportsmanship, and commitment to team and self. He/she should be an unselfish giver to the team, the school, and teams or programs throughout the state. Please send your nomination to Laura Fischer, Event Coordinator at ljfischer100@comcast.net If you have questions, please call Laura at 303-909-9221.
CCGS Hall of Fame Nominations
The Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports Hall of Fame was established in 1979 to honor persons who have dedicated their lives promoting girls' and women’s sports in Colorado. As a member of CCGS, you can nominate someone who has helped to develop girls' and women’s athletic opportunities in your community and throughout the state of Colorado. Hall of Fame members must have been an active member of CCGS or worked with CCGS in their athletic endeavors.
Nominate today by sending an email to Laura Fischer, Events Coordinator at ljfischer100@comcast.net. Nominations should include why you believe this person is deserving of Hall of Fame status. Please include the school affiliation of the nominee, the sports he/she impacted as well as the nominee’s email, address, and phone number.
You may know someone who has spent endless hours or timeless energy building athletic programs for females. For younger members, review your mentors; and more experienced members review your colleagues. Help us honor those who have carried the torch for girl’s athletics in Colorado.
Congratulations to the 2023 CCGS Ruby Miller Scholarship Winners
KAITLYN HALL, Falcon HS, Peyton
Kaitlyn has concentrated on volleyball as her high school sport of choice, and Kaitlyn has been named second team, All-State; All-Conference, three years; team captain, three years; and league champion, two years. She is a hard-working student and will graduate from high school with 33 credits toward her college degree. She plans to attend and play volleyball at CSU-Pueblo and eventually become a physician’s assistant. Her past experience coaching developmental girls’ club volleyball has excited her about sharing her knowledge and love of the sport with young athletes.
KALLY KIRKWOOD, Fleming HS
Kally has experienced state level competition in three sports. Competing in volleyball, her team at Fleming was state champion three times; basketball, state second place; and, in track, she is a school recordholder in the 4x100m and 4x200m relays. Kally will play volleyball at Chadron State (NE) and plans to major in nutrition. She wants to work with athletes on their diets. She plans to coach girls and help them grow as individuals. “While coaching, not only will I be able to enjoy coaching the kids in the skills of the sport, but I will also get to teach them important life lessons about teamwork and tenacity.”
JENSEN RENQUIST, Julesburg HS
Jensen is a three-sport athlete who was captain of the volleyball and basketball teams in her senior year. All-State and All-Conference in all three sports (add track), state champion volleyball team her junior season, CCGS All-State as a senior, a school record in the 4x400m relay, and shooting a CHSAA all-class record for free throws made in a single game (24 of 26) are her most impressive honors. No. 1 in her class, she will attend UNC to major in math. She sees herself in the future as a secondary teacher/coach encouraging her students to develop a love of learning and an impeccable work ethic.
ANDREA SCHISSLER, Platte Valley HS, Kersey
Another talented athlete, Andrea captained her volleyball team to a volleyball state championship in 2022 and she was also named All-State. Her favorite sport is basketball where she was also captain, All-State, and won back-to-back 3A state championships in her sophomore and junior years. Her FBLA advisor lauds her exceptional leadership qualities and volunteerism. She leads by example and is a hard worker. Andrea will major in physical education and plans to teach PE and coach basketball. She wants to have a positive impact on girls’ lives as her coaches have had on her.
KENNEDY VALLEJOS, McClave HS, Lamar
Kennedy appreciates the countless lessons learned and friends made during her competitive sports experiences since childhood. She has lettered in volleyball, basketball, and track and been to state in all three sports. She will attend Ft. Hays State Univ. and major in early childhood education. Kennedy already has worked with children, coaching 5th and 6th grade basketball as a volunteer. In desiring to coach, Kennedy realizes she wants “... kids to get better at the sport but also understand the benefits of being a good person, getting along with others, learning how to trust, and many other life lessons.”
PAIGE BRETZ, Windsor HS
“You will not find an individual who will bring more skill, determination, and heart to your community than Paige Bretz.” These are the words of Paige’s teacher/tutor who has worked with Paige for two years and watched her develop into a gifted student and poised young woman. Paige is a golf athlete. She has been team captain, letter winner and all-conference. She has been a volunteer coach in many golf scenarios—from coaching children to helping her own teammates to coordinating golf fundraisers. She pioneered the Windsor HS Broadcasting Club and developed the online school store. Her goal in coaching is to present a female role model to girls in her community and to promote women in golf.
Ruby Miller Scholarship Nominations Application
CCGS Executive Board
President: Dave Walck, Fossil Ridge
Co-Director of Special Events and Publications: Laura Fischer
Finance, Western Slope Liaison, and Volleyball Co-Chair 4A-5A: Shane Forrest, Montrose High School
Communications and Membership: Susan Odenbaugh
Technology and Social Media: Erika James, Boulder High School
Director of Operations and Volleyball Co-Chair 1A-3A: Lisa Schumacher, Sterling High School
schumacherl@re1valleyschools.org
Softball Chair: Khara West, Platt Middle School
Asst. Softball Chair: Britney Gutirrez, Monarch K-8
Basketball Co-Chair 5A-6A: Chris Kemm, Skyview
Co-Director of Special Events and Basketball Co-Chair 3A-4A: Merci Ames, Strasburg
Basketball Co-Chair 1A-2A: Dave Huss, Sterling Middle School
CCGS Consultant: Terri Ward
tmwardco@msn.com
