After 25 years, Manny Wasinger has decided to change jobs, but his commute will have only minor twists.
The fixture in Alamosa, after resigning as football coach of the prep Mean Moose, signed Friday to become an assistant at nearby Adams State College.
Wasinger, a 1981 graduate of Adams State, will be on the staff of newly hired head coach Marty Heaton, who played with Wasinger on the same Grizzlies teams.
“Marty and I go back 30 years. It was just a great opportunity,” Wasinger said.
Alamosa, long a factor on Colorado’s mid-range level, won Class 3A championships in 2001 and 2006, the latter team generally recognized as one of the best ever in the class.
Wasinger compiled a 190-78 record.
“It’s a win-win situation for me, as I would have been perfectly happy to stay and finish my career (in high school), but it’s my alma mater and a chance to go back with Marty,” Wasinger said.
Heaton’s Colorado coaching ties include opening programs at Highlands Ranch and ThunderRidge, although Wasinger said it was interesting emotionally to join a friend by leaving Alamosa High School.
“It’s my life’s work,” he said. “I love Alamosa and always will. I will always be a Mean Moose.”
Smoky Hill’s Renes honored. Molly Renes, a pioneering influence who headed girls lacrosse and field hockey at Smoky Hill, has been inducted into the Colorado Lacrosse Foundation hall of fame.
Inducted last month, the Auroran led Smoky Hill to Colorado club championships in girls lacrosse from 1993-96 and coached seven All-Americans.
Renes was instrumental in bringing girls lacrosse to the Cherry Creek District, then having it sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association in 1998.
Her Buffaloes won the 1999 field hockey championship in its third year as an official state sport.
Major: Gatorade player of the year. Postseason awards are starting to roll in for local schoolboys.
Jon Major, a Ponderosa linebacker who has committed to attend Colorado, has been named the state’s Gatorade player of the year.
With 135 tackles in 10 games, Major also ran the ball, caught a pass and threw one in being very active.
He will be considered with representatives from other states for national player of the year honors.
Also, Andrew Sampson, an offensive tackle, will play in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4, the last event for the storied stadium.
Sampson, who has excelled in recent years despite a knee njury, has committed to Arizona State.
