New coaches lead Warrior squads

WASILLA — There will be a few familiar faces in different places on the Wasilla sidelines this spring.

Three of Wasilla’s six varsity spring sports teams have new leaders. Two of the three new head coaches have been promoted within their program, while the third has been actively involved with WHS athletics.

Former girls soccer assistant Amber Craig and baseball assistant Myrl Thompson have both been promoted to head coach, while Cindy Wisdom — a member of the WHS baseball booster club — now has the reigns of the Wasilla softball squad.

Craig enters her first year as head coach of the WHS girls soccer program after serving four years as an assistant.

“It was a natural fit for her to move up,” Wasilla activities director Paul Cossette said. “Amber’s been a big part of (the success) in the past.”

Craig replaces Katie Broeder.

Thompson, a longtime youth baseball coach in the Valley, is now the skipper of the baseball team.

“He’s been around and has a real good name in the youth leagues,” Cossette said of Thompson, who takes over for Shane McCree.

While Craig and Thompson have experience with their respective teams, Wisdom stepped in to help save the WHS softball program.

“Our program was in danger of getting shut down,” Cossette said of the WHS softball team. “Cindy is such a huge proponent of youth activities. Hats off to her for making the commitment to helping young people make sure this program keeps running.”

Under Craig’s direction, the Warriors are unbeaten in their first five matches of the season, and currently sit in first place of the Northern Lights Conference North Division with a 4-0-1 record.

Thompson’s baseball squad is 0-1 after an 8-6 nonconference loss to Service on Wednesday.

The softball team is set to make its 2009 debut tonight when the Warriors host West Valley at Bumpus Ballfields at 6 p.m.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.