March 15: Ashland's Skinner steps down

By Joe Zavala

Ashland Daily Tidings

John Skinner resigned as head coach of the Ashland boys basketball team Tuesday, AHS Athletic Director Jim Nagel said today.

Skinner took the team over in 1997 and led the Grizz boys for five seasons. He will stay at Ashland High as a counselor, Nagel said, and has been encouraged to continue his assistant coaching duties in other sports, such as football.

"He has expressed an interest in continuing to coach and I welcome that," Nagel said.

Skinner was unavailable for comment.

Nagel said the search for a new coach will be on hold until he knows for sure what the school has to offer in terms of staff positions, although he did not believe one would be available.

"We haven't had all of the dust clear with the budget situation, so we'll wait and make sure there's no (staff position) open with the budget cuts. It's very unlikely, but we'll just try and delay a little bit and make sure that's true."

"We should know in a couple of days," Nagel added. "Probably after spring break we'll open up the position to whoever and see what we can find."

Nagel said it's possible that the school will promote from within.

Rick Cornelius was an assistant for the varsity team last season and Manuel Crump coached the junior varsity team, but, Nagel added, "We don't have our minds made up. We don't have somebody picked out."

According to Nagel, a committee consisting of a player, a parent, the principal, a staff member or community member and himself will be formed to pick the new coach.

Nagel said the team has been surveyed on who the next coach should be and, although that survey is confidential, indicated an in-house promotion would be a popular choice.

"All I would say is that they feel like we have some quality people that they like and respect," Nagel said.