Two coaches for Red Deer Polytechnic teams will step down at the end of the year.
Queens Basketball head coach Mandy Botham and Kings Soccer head coach Gerald Grobmeier have both resigned and will officially leave their positions Dec. 31.
Botham began as the Queens Basketball Head Coach in the 2019-20 season, guiding the squad to a 10-11 record, which was a seven-win improvement from the previous season (3-18).
“Through her hard work and expertise, the team has climbed the standings, from eighth in 2018/2019 to fifth in 2019/2020,” said Randy Stewart, RDP manager of athletics and student life.
“She has inspired the student-athletes to reach for excellence in the classroom and the Queens had the top team GPA among all of the polytechnic’s teams in 2020/2021. Mandy has also helped the student-athletes navigate through some significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
After six games this season, the Queens (3-3) are fourth in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference South Division.
Grobmeier began as an assistant coach with the Kings in 2018 and continued as a member of the coaching staff during the 2019-20 season, when the Kings earned ACAC silver and finished sixth at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association National Championship. The trip to nationals was the first in the program’s history.
“Gerald has done an excellent job with the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings. Through effective recruiting, retention, and coaching, he has built the Kings into one of the most competitive soccer programs in the entire league,” said Stewart.
“This past season, Gerald led the Kings to a second place regular season finish in the competitive south division and then to ACAC bronze. He also encouraged the student-athletes to give back to the community, which was evident in the Kings and Queens Soccer players volunteering their time at the Central Alberta Humane Society.”
The search for an interim Queens Basketball head coach has been underway, with the hope to have the position filled by the start of Winter 2022 Term.
Over the next few months, the search for a new Kings Soccer Head Coach will begin.
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