Two Columbus North head coaches have resigned their positions in the past few weeks, and one of the spots already has been filled.
Andy Glover, who led the Bull Dogs to the 2012 Class 2A boys soccer state title, has retired. His wife is expecting the couple’s second child.
Glover also led North to a 2A state runner-up finish in 2011 and a No. 1 state and top-five national ranking in 2013. The Bull Dogs finished 13-6-1 last fall.
Meanwhile, Bethany Scruton has stepped down after one season as girls cross-country coach. She recently had her first child.
Replacing Scruton in the fall will be Rick Sluder. Sluder ran at North Central (Farmersburg) and Indiana State University and then professionally on a Nike-sponsored team out of Indianapolis. He has been at Munster as boys cross-country for the past 11 years, girls cross-country coach the past five years and girls track coach the past eight years.
When he was in high school, Sluder attended a PAAVO camp where former North coach Rick Weinheimer was one of the counselors. Sluder expressed interest in the North coaching job when Weinheimer retired last year, but Danny Fisher landed the boys job, and Scruton took the girls job.
“When the opportunity came again, I jumped right on it,” Sluder said. “To treat cross-country like they do and have the history they do, there aren’t that many (schools). You’re talking about Carmel and Westfield and then Columbus North. Those are the three big ones right there. In my mind, I couldn’t pass up that opportunity.”
Sluder, 41, currently lives across the border from Munster in Orland Park, Illinois. He and his wife and two kids, ages 10 and 9, and will be moving here following the school year.
North athletics director Jeff Hester now has two head coaching openings to fill. Besides Glover in boys soccer, Hester is looking for a wrestling coach to replace Justin Cooper, who resigned following the season.
Senior named North MVP
Senior Claire Thompson, who tied for second in the state in the all-around competition, was named MVP of the Columbus North gymnastics team at its awards banquet last week.
Sophomore Sami Heathcote won the Bull Dog Award. Junior Tova Edwards was named Most Improved.
Bull Dogs add games
Columbus North has added a home softball game at 6 p.m. Friday against Bedford North Lawrence.
The Bull Dogs also have added a second baseball game to be played Saturday against Terre Haute South. North now will host the Braves in a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.
Awards Gala set for June 6
The Second Republic Awards Gala will take place on June 6 at The Commons.
The Republic Athletes of the Year in all 20 sports and their families and friends are invited to attend. Awards will be presented to the top overall senior male and female athletes in Bartholomew County, as well as the Josh Speidel Spirit Award, which is presented to an athlete who has overcome big challenges.
Last year’s Male and Female Athletes of the Year were Columbus North’s Mitchell Burton and Columbus East’s Cortney VanLiew. Columbus Christian’s Levi Sallee won the Speidel Award.
Tickets are available at The Republic office.
Ted Schultz is sports editor for The Republic. He can be reached at [email protected] or 812-379-5628.
