Prep Beat -- Hoffman Succeeds Mentor At Bellevue

Chris Hoffman remembers his first confrontation with a parent as the Bellevue boys tennis coach. He didn't know what to think, but he knew exactly where to turn.

He walked into Al Strand's office. Strand was the athletic director when Hoffman played tennis as a Bellevue student (class of '86), he hired Hoffman to coach boys tennis in '92 and Strand always stood behind him.

"He absolutely built me back up after being torn down by a parent," Hoffman said.

Now, Hoffman will be on the other side of the desk. Last week he accepted the position as Bellevue athletic director, replacing Strand, who is retiring after 29 years at Bellevue, 22 as athletic director.

"I've watched him develop," Strand said of Hoffman. "And it's exciting to watch someone else getting ready."

But it's also a sad time for Strand.

"There's mixed emotions in all of this," he said. "But I think there's a new challenge or adventure that's around the corner."

Hoffman, 30, will work full-time at Bellevue next season. Currently, he is coordinating a youth-tennis program at Overlake Country Club.

His first order of business will be to find a boys tennis coach.

"I have to replace myself," said Hoffman, who won't be able to fill both roles.

Hoffman wasn't sure he was ready to give up coaching after eight years at Bellevue. It took a couple of days before he decided to accept the offer to become the AD.

"I thought that I had a good mentor and coach in Al," Hoffman

said.

Life after legends

Scott Florsheim had four coaching positions to fill for the 1999-2000 school year and the impossible task of replacing 129 years of coaching experience.

"You don't replace people like that," Florsheim said. "You hope that you find someone who's going to fit in well."

Mark Kovats (girls soccer), Geoff Mills (tennis), Frank Ceteznik (girls swimming) and Nile Clarke (cross country) all stepped down during the past school year.

Three of the positions have been filled by coaches within Mercer Island's programs:

-- Maura Danforth, a girls swimming assistant for the past two seasons, will take over for Ceteznik.

-- Arby Busey coached the Islander JV girls soccer team for five seasons and will be the head varsity coach.

-- Erica Foster, an assistant last year and former state high-school champion in the 3,200 meters at Seattle Prep, is the new cross-country coach.

The Islanders will begin looking for a girls tennis coach in the fall. Florsheim said he hopes to name Mills' replacement before the winter sports season begins.

Note

-- At Sammamish, Karsten Hoffman will coach varsity girls soccer next year, replacing Lauren Studebaker, who had a one-year agreement to coach the team. Hoffman was previously the JV coach.

Interviews for the vacant girls basketball coaching position will be held tomorrow.

Baseball all-stars named

The Sea-Tac B League all-star baseball team:

Co-MVPs - Matt Richards, Seattle Lutheran, and Richmond Hurd, Seattle Lutheran.

Pitchers - Alex Smith, Cedar Park Christian; Ryan Turner, Kent View Christian; Kyle Hammett, Kent View Christian. Infield - Jack Menashe, Seattle Lutheran; Jordan Taylor, Cedar Park Christian; Adam Hoyle, Cedar Park Christian; David Cameron, Pacific Christian. Outfield - Daren Rice, Seattle Lutheran; Ryan Davidson, Seattle Lutheran; Dominic Latimer, Kent View Christian. Catcher - Mark Rodmyer, Evergreen Lutheran; Ken Cornutt, Seattle Lutheran; David Zegers, Kent View Christian. Utility - Jack Thiesfeldt, Evergreen Lutheran; Josh Marlow, Evergreen Lutheran.

Coach of the year - Jack Menashe, Seattle Lutheran. Team sportsmanship - Pacific Christian.