Basketball season 2018-19 has a lot of changes this year, not only for boys basketball, but girls, too. With two former basketball coaches leaving (boys JV coach TJ Meyer and girls head coach Traci Anderson), the school had to find two new coaches. Former girls JV coach Rainey Maloy moved up to coach varsity girls basketball, leaving the girls JV coach spot available; special education teacher at Garfield Elementary, Melissa Carrell accepted the position. Conner Carmen graduated from Augusta in 2011 took the boys JV coaches spot.

Carmen played basketball for the Orioles all four years of high school. He has known head coach Jake Sims since he was in third grade.

“When I was in high school, we were actually pen pals,” Sims said.

Sims and Carmen both played basketball at Dodge City Community College.

Practice has been different with Meyers gone.

“They do a lot of similar drills, but coach Meyer was all about communication, while I think that coach Carmen is all about getting better,”  Zac Burton (12) said.

Carmen is a help to the team because of how well he relates to the athletes; he is young and sometimes he even plays against the boys during practice. Carmen is grateful for this job because of his love for basketball.

“We’ll have a good season; we have good chemistry,” Carmen said.

Carrell has been apart of Augusta’s district for 11 years. She has coached middle school volleyball, but this is her first year coaching high school basketball.

“I took this job because I love basketball, and I have been wanting to get into the coaching side of it and just help out the girls that are here in the community,” Carrell said.

Carrell played for Friends University and played the post position.

“I think coach Carrell has been a great addition to the team. She’s very positive, encouraging, and really strives to help us grow,” Abbee Rhodes (12) said.

Carrell is very excited to coach this year and thinks Augusta’s atmosphere is great.

Maloy loves the game of basketball and grew up in Augusta, which made her love this town.

Maloy helped Anderson coach girls varsity basketball and coached girls JV for four years and freshmen girls for two years; she decided to step up and take the job for the girls varsity coach.

Maloy plans on having the team in better shape this year to be a defensively pressing team; she plans on being the first team to go back to back to state. She loves all the girls and wants to see them improve not only in basketball but in life.

“I want to see the program grow, as it has been in the past,” Maloy said.

Last year, the girls basketball team went to state but lost the first game of the tournament. This year, they hope to get further and maybe even win state.

“Rainey sees things differently and we are simply just running different stuff offensively and defensively,” Jaydenlee Marlnee (12) said.

With all the new coaches Augusta has a lot to look forward, too.