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Eagle Point makes coaching changes By KRIS HENRY Eagle Point High will have a new look when next season rolls around - sort of. The Eagles have filled three coaching vacancies, turning to one new face while two familiar names alter their attentions. "All three of them I'm really excited about and I know they're going to do a great job for us," Bergen said Wednesday. "They bring a lot of experience to our coaching department." The most notable change has Williams stepping down from the boys basketball post after nine years to replace Don Boucher as head coach of the softball program. At Eagle Point, Williams led the Eagles to four berths in the state playoffs. In the 1998-99 season, Eagle Point won its first playoff games since joining the Class 4A ranks in 1979. Williams was honored by his peers that season as the SOC's co-coach of the year with Gene Quilhaugh of North Medford. Williams, 46, also spent 14 years at Butte Falls, leading the Loggers to the Class 1A title the season before joining Eagle Point. Including a one-year stint as a JV coach right out of college, he has a 314-225 overall record in 24 years. Williams said his resignation from the boys basketball program involved a desire to spend more time with his family, as well as a concern raised during the district's budgeting process. At the time, a decision was proposed to eliminate funding one coaching position in boys and girls basketball and softball. "It's tough enough in the SOC let alone being on uneven ground with everyone else," said Williams. "I had already been thinking about a change but that was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back. It just got to the point that it wasn't worth it if they're not going to support you." Much of that stance was altered a few days after Williams' resignation, when the district opted not to cut funding for the aforementioned coaching posts. Instead of reclaiming his basketball slot, Williams said Eagle Point High principal Mary Brabbin asked if he'd be interested in coaching softball. "My thought was there was already a good staff with Don (Boucher) and all the volunteer assistants," said Williams, who has been an assistant softball coach since 1998. "I checked with Don and he said he'd be willing to assist, and it was time for a change, for me and Eagle Point. I'd been there nine years and sometimes change can be good." The softball team went 3-11 in the SOC and 8-15 overall last year, with the Eagles managing a 6-36 SOC record over the past three seasons. Jamie Williams has been a member of the softball and girls basketball teams the past two years, and Keith Williams said he will enjoy being able to spend more time with his daughter as she closes out her high school career. "I can't say enough about Keith," said Bergen. "He did a tremendous job with boys basketball and I think he'll do a tremendous job with softball and continue to build a strong program there as well." Replacing Williams as boys basketball coach will be Rob Boye, who has guided Class 2A Warrenton the past four seasons and was a finalist for the North Medford High boys basketball job vacated by Quilhaugh this past spring. Bergen said Boye came highly recommended by coaches in the Northwest League as well as by Bruce Howell, athletics coordinator for the Medford School District. "Rob seems like a great guy and has got great experience so it's a good fit for us," said Bergen. After two years as an assistant, Boye took over a struggling Warrenton program in 1998 and the Warriors posted a 17-14 record and advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 1980. He posted a 47-35 record at Warrenton. Boye will be making a homecoming of sorts with his return to the Rogue Valley. He grew up in Gold Hill and was a 1980 graduate of Crater High, where he played football, basketball and baseball for the Comets. Knowing the rivalry between Eagle Point and Crater, Boye admitted to downplaying his prep career with the Comets. "We're trying to play that angle down," he said with a laugh. "I'm a Rogue Valley boy. That's what I said in my interviews." Boye inherits a program that went 4-10 in the SOC and 9-15 overall last year, but has a 20-22 SOC record with two state berths over the past three seasons. "I think there is a lot of potential there in the underclassmen and I know Eagle Point has a fine support system," said Boye. A staple of that support system has been the Kleker family, with Bob Kleker working as an assistant under Williams for six seasons and his son Rob Kleker acting as an assistant last season. Both Klekers will move over to the girls side, with the elder Kleker replacing Tim Rouhier, who resigned after a one-year stint following Tom McCracken. "The Kleker family might have homesteaded the place out here," Bergen said of their Eagle Point roots. "It's one of those families that has been around forever and is totally involved in the community." The Eagle girls went 1-13 in the SOC and 5-18 overall last season, and have gone 2-40 in the SOC the past three years. "Over the last three years the girls program has struggled a bit but we're encouraged by the athletes we have coming back next year," said Bob Kleker, 46. "We're dedicated to helping turn the program around. "It will be different dealing with the girls program but I think I have a good rapport with students in general, whether it's guys or gals. You're still just trying to put the ball in the hoop and keep someone else from doing the same." Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.