New Douglass boys coach Dayna Westbrook (far right) admits to being "active" on the bench in her role as team mom. She replaces Mark Leuschner (standing, center), who led the Indians to the state championship game last season.
Photo by Jim Redman
In an unusual — but not unprecedented — twist,
Douglass (Texas) girls basketball head coach Dayna Westbrook will take over boys coaching duties at the school next season.
And she won't be relinquishing her spot on the bench with the girls team, either.
Westbrook, a mother of two boys and former standout player and assistant coach at Stephen F. Austin, will pull double duty during hoops season at the 1A east Texas school, which has an enrollment of about 90 students.
It would appear to be an extremely ambitious move from the outside, but this is the reality of small school athletics. Westbrook also coaches golf, softball and tennis in addition to teaching health and physical education.
Dayna Westbrook will be coaching son Bryce at Douglass next season.
Courtesy of Dayna Westbrook
"This is something that has been done in our part of the state in the past," Westbrook said. "The only thing that makes this unusual — and it shouldn't — is that I'm a woman."
Initially, Westbrook had no plans to apply for the position but when another candidate pulled out late in the process, she was a natural fit having served as team mom for the boys last season. She also led some of the players on a locally-based club team, 936 Elite.
"So far everything has been really positive," Westbrook said. "The boys are used to having me around."
Westbrook isn't walking into a rebuilding job on the boys' side. Douglass reached the Class 1A Division II state final last March, falling to
Roxton 60-54.
The Indians return four rising senior starters including the new coach's kid
Bryce Westbrook. Bryce scored 20 points in the state semifinals last season and delivered 23 more in the championship game. He may need to deliver even more as a senior to replace brother
Reed, a Class A Division II All-State pick who will play at Stephen F. Austin.
