Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008

PREPS: Fleck leaves Sehome boys' soccer program

If the Sehome boys’ soccer team is going to repeat as state champions next season, they’ll be doing it with a different head coach.

Longtime Sehome coach Jon Fleck has resigned from the position after seven seasons and two state championships, the most recent coming in May.

Fleck handed in his resignation shortly before the Mariners started postseason play this spring.

Sehome has started the process of looking for a new head coach, but it’s not going to be an easy task to replace Fleck, said athletic director Colin Cushman in a phone interview. Cushman said Fleck left to spend more time with his family.

“Of course it’s going to be tough to see him go,” Cushman said. “You don’t just go out and replace a coach like that. But he has young kids who are starting to play the game and a family he wants to spend more time with. He told me before the postseason started he was going out with the seniors. He went out in a big way.”

The Mariners finished 17-6 this season, winning the Class 2A state championship with a 2- 1 win over Cheney in overtime. Fleck also led Sehome to a state championship in 2002. He was named the Bellingham Herald’s All-Whatcom County boys’ soccer Coach of the Year in June.

Sehome’s boys’ soccer position isn’t the only head coaching vacancy in Whatcom County. Squalicum is looking for a head baseball coach after Camron Ingersall resigned, and a boys’ swimming coach as Paul Hanson pursues his student teaching duties.

“Both of those are open until filled,” Squalicum athletic director Mike McKee said in a phone interview. “It’s going to be tough to fill the swimming position quickly because it’s hard to find qualified coaches within the district for that sport. It’s gotten even harder with some of the cutbacks that are happening.”

Several assistant coaching openings are also available throughout the Northwest Conference.