New Fall Coaches at GNHS
For the 2022-2023 school year, six brand new assistant and head coaches joined North athletics for the fall season.
These six coaches are as follows: Coach Allison Szramek, Coach Leah Kloss, Coach Brian Johnson, Coach Cassie Cowperthwaite, and Coach Jenny Spangler. All of these new coaches are excited to be a part of North athletics.
Coach Allison Szramek is one of this year’s new tennis coaches alongside Coach Kloss. Szramek spent most of her athletic career playing volleyball as her brother played tennis. Before coaching tennis at North, Szramek coached middle school volleyball.
“I have not played the sport previously, and this is a new learning experience for me,” Szramek said. “My favorite part about coaching is building meaningful relationships with players and watching them grow as athletes and as people.”
Coach Leah Kloss is also this year’s new tennis coach partnering with Szramek. Coach Kloss has spent five years coaching JV track and field here at North and is going into her first year coaching tennis. Kloss participated in track and field starting her junior year in high school and also played through college. Coaching tennis is completely new to her, and she’s extremely excited to coach this year.
“My favorite part about coaching is watching my athletes succeed,” Kloss said. “The joy that shows on their face when they accomplish a goal, especially if it’s something I taught them, makes me feel like I have done my job.”
“I also love figuring out how to coach different kinds of personalities and learn what works for different athletes, ‘’ Kloss said.
Coach Jenny Spangler is this year’s new head varsity coach for boys and girls cross country. Spangler first started competing in high school and then for the University of Iowa. Coach Spangler has been coaching runners for 20 years and was just offered her first head coaching opportunity. Besides coaching cross country, Spangler also coaches girls track.
“I love the energy and team aspect of high school athletics along with helping each athlete achieve their personal goals,” Spangler said.
Coach Johnson has been working hard with his team guaranteeing success for the season.
The Knights under Coach Johnson are 5-1 and so far exceeding everyone’s expectations. Coach Johnson is nothing short of a smart coach proving this since his coaching debut in 1994. Success isn’t everything to Coach Johnson. While he is a State Champion, that isn’t his favorite part of coaching.
“Coaching players to do something that they couldn’t have done by themselves is the best part,” Johnson said.
Coach Cowperthwaite has been dancing her whole life. Now she’s the new dance coach. Cowperthwaite has never been shy of working hard with her accolades of 12 season athlete and team captain here at North during her time as a student. Sixteen years of dancing can’t stop one from becoming competitive, but Cowperthwaite knows dancing is more important than that.
“My favorite part is seeing the dancers not count the music or think about the moves and just have fun and truly dance.”
All of the coaches have had their successes so far this season, from the football team starting out with a 5-1 record, to the dance team competing and working hard at the games and their own performances, to the cross country team competing for personal bests, to the tennis team accomplishing all of their goals.
“I am very proud of both teams. I’m excited to see what the winter season will bring,” Cowperthwaite said.
