Hays senior Ally Tally (right) and the rest of her Lady Rebel varsity teammates will have their third head coach in as many years next season as former Hays boys varsity assistant Cole Reynolds takes over the program. The Lady Rebs qualified for the playoffs last season under former head coach Ryan Race, and were a regional finalist in 2007. (Photo by Rudy Gonzalez)
by JASON GORDON
For the second straight summer, the Hays High soccer coaching program is going through a coaching shakeup.
Girls varsity head coach Ryan Race has decided to leave Hays to take an assistant varsity girls coaching position at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Worth. There, he will coach under former longtime Hays varsity girls coach Dorothy Ortiz.
Ortiz left Hays last summer to coach at Caney Creek High in Conroe before moving to Fossil Ridge High.
Cole Reynolds, who was the varsity assistant for the boys team at Hays, will take over the head coaching duties for the Lady Rebel varsity squad.
“It was a hard decision, but it was a move that was best for me personally,” said Race, who led the Lady Rebs to the playoffs last season. “It was tough to leave Hays because we have a lot of quality players coming back. But Cole will be fantastic with them. I’m positive they will make another playoff run next season.”
Ortiz, who coached the Lady Rebels to within one game of a state tournament berth three seasons ago, said she was equally pleased when she heard Reynolds would be taking over her former Hays program.
“When I found out they were going to move Cole into the position as girls head coach I was really pleased,” Ortiz said. “He has a great background and really knows the game. I think he’ll do a great job.”
Reynolds helped guide the Hays boys to a regional quarterfinal berth in the playoffs last year. He was named the Region IV Assistant Coach of the Year by the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches Organization in 2009-10.
Reynolds said he’s ready for his new challenge as the girls varsity head coach. He was both an assistant boys and girls varsity coach during his 10 years at Crockett before moving to Hays two years ago. He has also coached his middle school daughter’s teams since she began playing at age four.
“I’m excited about this,” Reynolds said. “From what I’ve seen, they have quite a bit of talent on the girls team at Hays.”
Reynolds also said he won’t try to mold the Lady Rebel squad into something they aren’t.
“My coaching philosophy has always been to see what we have from a personnel standpoint and let that lead to our game plan,” he said. “I am familiar with a lot of different soccer sets, so I always try and pick one that’s right for the players we have.”
Hays senior Lena New said she’s sad to see Coach Race go, but the team will welcome Coach Reynolds.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about Coach Reynolds,” New said. “Our team just has to start fresh again, but I know we can do it. We’ll definitely be ready to play for Coach Reynolds.”
Brent Holcomb, who coached junior varsity last season, will step in to fill Reynolds’ assistant varsity role on the boys side at Hays.
“I don’t think there will even be an adjustment period for Cole coaching varsity girls,” Rebel boys varsity coach Jason Burnett said. “He’s been coaching his daughter basically since she’s been alive. I think he will do very well coaching the Lady Rebels.”
