Two STA Varsity basketball players, who wish not to be identified, decided to leave the team following their game against Notre Dame de Sion High School Jan. 27. The next day, the team was informed of another loss. Head coach Doug Nelson had resigned.

Jan. 28 president Nan Bone met with the two Varsity players to inform them that Nelson resigned and that assistant coach Diana Krull would take over the head coaching position. However, they were not given much further detail.

‘We weren’t given any reasoning,’ one of the girls said. ‘[Bone] just said that [Nelson] had decided to resign.’

In an after school meeting in Verheyen the same day, Bone, Krull, assistant athletic director Jack Garvin and athletic director Mark Hough delivered the news to the rest of the basketball program.

According to Hough, Nelson’s resignation was a mutual decision between both the coach and STA.

“St. Teresa’s Academy and [Nelson] mutually agreed that it would be in his best interest to step aside for the remainder of the season,” Hough said.

Even though he is no longer coaching Nelson maintains an appreciation for STA and is glad to have had the opportunity to coach. However, Nelson feels that the position was not a good match overall.

“In the long run as much as I enjoyed coaching and the St. Teresa’s family, [the coaching position] really just wasn’t a good fit,” Nelson said.

Nelson also said that he was excited about coming into the basketball program and working with the team, but he predicted difficulties with the season.

“I knew that this year was going to be a hard year,” Nelson said.

Despite the loss of a coach, the team did not lose any of its members. The two girls considering leaving the team changed their minds.

‘[We] were going to stop playing after the Sion game out of frustration from throughout the season, but then we decided to play again,’ one of the girls said.

Shortly after, rumors about the team and Nelson’s resignation began to swirl. Players are aware of the controversy surrounding Nelson’s decision and according to Varsity basketball player Maddie Lueke, rumors about the resignation have been spread by not only students, but coaches from other schools. However, Lueke does not want this to be what people focus on when they think about the team.

With a new head coach and all their players present, the Varsity team is beginning to move forward. The team has developed a good relationship with Krull and according to Lueke has handled the recent changes very well.

‘I think the team has taken [the changes] really well,’ Lueke said. ‘We all mesh with [Krull] really really well, and we all like her a lot. So I see it going forward from here.’

Hough also believes the team will move forward under their new coach. However, he still maintains appreciation for Nelson’s contributions to the season.

“[STA] is grateful to [Nelson] for his work and commitment to our basketball program,” Hough said. “With the appointment of [Krull], we look forward to keeping our program moving forward and providing our girls the best opportunity for success in [their remaining games].”

Krull coached the Stars for their nine remaining games of the regular season as well as the post season.

Currently, the team has 10 players who have started games, as well as eight who have scored at least eight points in one game. According to the team’s latest newsletter, ‘depth on the roster has been one of the team’s strengths.’

Improved relationships have also contributed to the team’s strength. Lueke feels that the bond between the players and their coach has strengthened since Krull took over.

‘I think that our relationship with our new coach is a lot stronger [than our relationship with Nelson was]…and we feel like we can talk to her about anything,’ said Lueke.

Despite the recent changes and the ensuing rumors surrounding their season, the Varsity basketball team was able to end their regular season with victories over the Pembroke Hill School, Spring Hill High School and Metro Academy. The team then went on to win their first round Districts game 44-7 over Ruskin High School. The team advanced as far as the District championship game where they lost to Lee’s Summit West 66-42.

Lueke feels that the team and their new coach have moved forward as a whole and wants an end to the rumors.

‘I just don’t want people spreading rumors about all of it,’ Lueke said. ‘[Nelson] just resigned. There were differences, he resigned. It’s done. [The team is] moving forward from here and that’s it.”