| Shasta College Adds Wrestling, Women's Golf |
|
|
By Jeff Klein Record Searchlight
11/11/2000
By next fall, there won't be any high school sports in the area that aren't also offered at Shasta College. Shasta announced Thursday the addition of wrestling and women's golf for the 2001 fall season. As of next year, Shasta will offer 19 intercollegiate sports. The women's golf team will be coached by former Shasta volleyball coach Sharon Yox. Shasta will begin an immediate search for a wrestling coach, and athletic director Gary Houser said there is a lot of local interest in the part-time coaching position. Both teams will compete in the Bay Valley Conference against the likes of Sacramento City, Sierra, San Joaquin Delta, Santa Rosa and Modesto colleges. "These sports are gaining in popularity and we need to keep up with the times," Houser said. "So far, there's been lots of real positive response." The wrestling program was a cutback casualty in the early 1980s. Ever since the addition of soccer and swimming at Shasta three years ago, there's been criticism from the community for wrestling not coming back. Thanks to the efforts of Neil Sternberg, who's helped with Foothill High School as well as community youth wrestling, and former prep coaches Rod Forseth of Enterprise and Max Burch of Shasta, among others, the college program is back in the fold. "Neil and his group have made the commitment to help raise funds and cover the start-up costs," Houser said. "We do need mats - we have the mats used by the last team." Gary Lewis, the former athletic director and current director of public safety, sports and fitness, estimated the start-up cost for the wrestling program would be $17,000-20,000, which would include the purchase of two full-sized collegiate mats. Win River Casino has made a contribution to the program, and more fund-raisers to bring in another $7,000-10,000 are in the works. Yox said Shasta wants to approach Riverview Golf and Country Club about being the home course of the Knights. The Shasta men's golf team, which plays in the spring, calls Riverview home as well. "I would like to have at least 10 golfers," said Yox, who was already on the phone recruiting Thursday afternoon. "There's no age limit and you just have to be a full-time student. Anyone interested just needs to call the athletic office."
|
|
|
HOME
