If there’s anyone out there who’s interested in becoming the next Llano Lady Jackets’ head basketball coach, please see the high school principal immediately, or raise your hand.

The principal, Charles Baker, is, indeed, on the search team, headed by athletic director David Yeager. Girls’ coordinator (and volleyball coach) Shawn Sweeten is a member of the group plus two parents with ties to the sports program and the school and community - Terry Hutto and Debbie Rabb.

The first meeting was held Tuesday, May 27, eight days after it was learned Brandon Walters is resigning so his family will be closer to his parents, and wife Kara’s folks, in the Winnsboro area.

“The applicants certainly know the rich, winning tradition established by coaches Jacquetta Brown and Walters,” Yeager said. The Ladies have won 255 games this decade and have advanced to the Final Four four times. They were Class-3A state champions in 2002.

“Those who want the job,” Yeager noted, “are aware of the recent history, and we want to see the success continue, but we also want someone who will inspire a good work ethic and discipline, who will be proud to represent the school district and who will make the district proud, too.”

The Llano News has been told there are currently maybe as many as 15 who have voiced interest in the job. Yeager and The News are not releasing names, but they include a man who has coached several state championship teams (at one school), and another who has been real close to a program that has achieved super success.

Cheree Monden has not returned a call from The News, but she knows there’s an opening, and, if she's interested, may advance to the late rounds of the selection tournament. Monden coached the Wimberley girls for seven years before resigning in 2007.

Her Lady Texans and Lady Jackets had some memorable duels, and Wimberley reached the Final Four in 2005.

One woman who says she's not interested is former Mason coach, Kelly Jo Sexton, now at Hamilton. “It’s too hard to walk away after just one year here,” Sexton declared. “We’re starting to build something, and I want to be a part of that. I’m extremely flattered you would even think of me, and I feel the Llano job is a great one, but the timing is not right for me.”

Tony Taylor has had a couple of good seasons at San Saba, but he's offering no comment and appears to want to stay put. Eric Boettcher is the man who coached Marble Falls to the 4A Final Four in 2007; he led Houston Second Baptist to an 18-16 campaign this season; he, too, is probably not seeking the Jackets’ post.

Another definite “no” (what good are all these “no’s” doing us?) is Jerry English. He’s the Hall of Famer who has won close to 940 games in his career; as a Llano district foe, his Dripping Springs team won the state title in 1994.

English is now at Faith Academy of Marble Falls, where he does not have to teach.

“I’m honored to be mentioned, with all the success Llano has had, and one day in the distant past I really thought I might end up here, but that didn’t happen, and now I don’t want to get back to the daily grind.” English was able to retire from public education almost a decade ago. He has taught Lady Jackets in summer camps since then.

“This is not a bad time to be looking for a coach,” Yeager points out. “Those at other schools can still leave and take another position.” That’s what Yeager did in 2005. He admits now it wasn’t easy to get ready for football that quickly, “but a basketball coach has till mid-November before the season begins.”

So, we know for sure the baton will be passed once more; we just don’t know in whose hands it will be placed. When a team loses its best players, some like to say, “Tradition never graduates.” Hopefully that applies to coaches, too: “Tradition never loses its Mentor.”