Softball coaching legend Charlie Whitbred wants another shot at a varsity head-coaching position. He is hoping it is at North St. Paul.
Whitbred, 61, a Minnesota Softball Coaches Association hall of famer, said he has applied for the position vacated last week when former Polars coach Sean Hall took the same job at Lakeville North. Whitbred was an assistant to Hall last season.
North St. Paul activities director Jed Helwig, who isn’t allowed to comment on job applicants, said interviewing begins next week.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity,” said Whitbred, who had 525 career victories in 27 seasons at Park before retiring after the 2009 season.
“Their only question might be my age. Do I have the energy, enthusiasm and stamina to work with the team and with the youth association? I know I do. I’ve never left this game. I love the game and want to keep giving back.”
Whitbred said he called Angie Jackson, a former North St. Paul softball standout who graduated last spring, to gauge her reaction before he applied.
“She told me to go for it,” Whitbred said. “She was really excited for me to pursue it.”
— White Bear Lake football coach Bob Jackson told his team Sunday night at their banquet that he is retiring. He took over the Bears in 1993 and led them to state tournament appearances from 1997-99 and in 2002.
“My sons all had great experiences in football with coach Jackson,” said White Bear Lake wrestling coach Craig Nasvik. “The teams he coached were always well-prepared. Each year the players came together and shared a bond with each other because they always felt like a team. Bob truly loved coaching and working with the young men. To the person, I think people all will agree that the players who played for Bob Jackson learned valuable life lessons in a great sport.”
— Longtime Eagan boys basketball coach Kurt Virgin has been relieved of his coaching duties. Virgin, who has a career 485-316 record, has been replaced by interim coach Mike Sullivan. Virgin and Eagan activities director Sandra Setter Larsen declined comment.
— Stillwater’s boys cross country team finished 10th out of 22 teams in the Nike national meet Saturday in Portland, Ore. Stillwater’s Wayde Hall led the Ponies with a 22nd-place finish, and Thomas Linner was 24th. The Ponies won the Class AA title last month. Monticello, the Class AA girls champion, placed 20th.
— The South Suburban Conference boys hockey showcase is Saturday at Dakotah Ice Arena in Prior Lake. The schedule:
10 a.m. – Bloomington Kennedy vs. Eastview
12:15 p.m. – Rosemount vs. Burnsville
2:30 p.m. – Lakeville South vs. Eagan
4:45 p.m. – Lakeville North vs. Prior Lake
7 p.m. – Apple Valley vs. Bloomington Jefferson
— Braham’s Rebekah Dahlman scored 47 points to lead the Bombers to a 77-70 victory over Maranatha Christian on Saturday. Braham is the defending Class AA state champion; Maranatha won the small-school title last season.
— Eastview wrestlers Alex Lindstrom, Eddie Delgado, Jack Buck, Nick Pegelow and Adam Foreman recorded their first varsity victories last weekend.
