A new season, 2 new coaches

Waynesboro girls’ new soccer coach, Dani Almarode, started the season on the fast track with her young squad by winning the first two games of the year.

Almarode was promoted to the top spot after a five-year stint as an assistant coach under veteran Little Giants skipper Robin Hersey.

Hersey coached girls soccer for more than a decade and was on the verge of retiring, but after the sudden death of girls JV coach Glenn Anderson last May, Hersey put his full-retirement — and his boat — on hold.

“I didn’t want to make a big deal about the coaching change,” Hersey said. “These girls needed a familiar face and I wanted to coach the JV team. I wanted there to be consistency after Glenn died. I’m tickled to death that we got coach Almarode. She knows the girls and that made my decision easier.”

Almarode played for Hersey on the Jazz travel team — and played against him during the late ’90s while attending Stuarts Draft High School.

“Coach Hersey is a soccer pioneer,” Almarode said. “I think he’s coached in Waynesboro 12 or 13 years; he really brought soccer to this area. He wanted to retire, but wanted to help the JV team after coach Anderson passed away. He didn’t want them to be shell shocked.”

The transition for the varsity team so far has been smooth.

“Usually it takes time for teams to come together,” Almarode said. “We’re young, but the girls have really started out well. I’m very happy how they’ve come together so quickly.”

Goalkeeper Kate Garber, a returning sophomore for the Giants, shut out Broadway 1-0 on Friday.

“She did a great job last season as a freshman, Almarode said. “Now she’s quicker and has more knowledge. She’s going to do very well again.”

Over on JV, Hersey is still cultivating talent on his side of the pitch. The team shut Broadway down 6-0 on Saturday, and Dani Hall had a hat trick.

“That’s what a coach is for, to cultivate raw talent,” Hersey said.

Another change this season for both teams will be where they practice

“I decided that both varsity and junior varsity will practice on the same field at Ridgeview Park,” Hersey said. “I’ll still be around. Coach Almarode doesn’t need my help, but if she has any administrative questions or things of that nature, I can help her.”