(Avoca) On the heels of one of their most successful seasons ever, AHSTW will be looking for a new girls basketball coach.
Iowa Girls Coaches Association Hall of Famer Steve Sauvain has submitted his resignation as head coach of the Lady Vikes upon accepting a new position with the AEA. “It was a very, very difficult decision, especially the basketball part. I had been approached by the Green Hills Area Education Agency about a Regional Administrator position. I’ve always kind of had my eye on that job if it ever came open. I got offered the job and it’s a very difficult decision leaving AHSTW and these communities that have been so wonderful the last three years. It was just one of those professional opportunities that was too good to pass up.”
You can put the AHSTW girls basketball job at the top of the list of desirable vacancies in this area. Last season they won their first conference title since 2000 and were one win away from advancing to state. The returning talent made the decision even tougher to make.
He’s proud of the role he played in re-establishing the girls program. “To me that’s the thing that I like to hang my hat on. I think we’ve resurrected that program not only in the area, but some preseason publications had us in the top five going into next year so I feel like the program is in a good place.”
Sauvain hopes assistant coach Jill Vanderhoof gets promoted to head coach. “She’s got such a great bond with the kid and such a strong basketball background, but that will be a decision the school will have to make.”
Sauvain admits, depending on the schools he gets assigned to with the AEA, there is an outside chance he could come back and coach the team again next season.
