AHSTW hires Jill Vanderhoof as head coach for girls basketball
(Avoca) AHSTW girls basketball coach Jill Vanderhoof will inherit a roster with a lot of talent. The Lady Vikes have promoted from within to fill their head coaching vacancy.
Vanderhoof has been an assistant at AHSTW the last two seasons. Head coach Steve Sauvain, upon his resignation, highly recommended Vanderhoof to fill his shoes. Vanderhoof says, “I am very excited with what I’ve been given the opportunity to take on this year and hopefully the years to come. The girls I’ve gotten to know well and it’s been good to be a part of this program with Mr. Sauvain having a lot of success and hopefully continuing on what he has done.”
Those recent successes include a conference title and trip to the regional final last year. Four starters are back from last year. While many things will look similar to the past, coach Vanderhoof will have her own wrinkles as well. “We are a pretty quick team and we have some really lengthy players.” She says, “Seeing them be aggressive and have more of a run game. That’s what I want them to realize is just pick up the pace a little big more.”
As a senior at Villisca in the 2012-13 season, Vanderhoof averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, four steals, and over three assists per game. She lists Donna Williams as a major influence on her. “One of the biggest influences I’ve had in my entire life, not just basketball, has been my high school coach Donna Williams. She’s no longer around to ask questions to and talk basketball, but the things she instilled in us as players really carried over to how I look at things as a coach.”
Knowing the talent that returns for next season gives Vanderhoof a little bit more piece of mind when taking the big step into her first head coaching job. They hope to get the opportunity for as many scrimmages as possible this summer.
