Jamie Byron, volleyball coach
  Byron's first head coaching position will be a tough one trying to replace the ultra-successful Penny Salm, who pretty much put the Warsaw volleyball program on the map.
  Salm won over 200 games as a volleyball coach and took the Tigers to several semi-states and six straight Northern Lakes Conference championship titles.
  "I am stepping into some big shoes," Byron said. "But I know the girls are dedicated to the program, and that is the kind of program that I want to be in.
  "It was a very good program for me to step into. I have big goals, and I think these girls are willing to take us there."
  Byron, a 1991 Peru High School graduate and a 1995 University of Memphis graduate, credits the coaches she has tutored under as a big influence for her.
  "That is what starts it off," she said. "I came from a very successful high school program (with coach Ron Byram). We always went to semi-state.
  "And then going into college, I played under a coach that was pretty tough on us," she said. "I got some good ideas for drills under him."
  Byron, who is married to Triton High School athletic director Mike Byron, will substitute teach in the Warsaw school system.
  Dave Schwalm was hired as Byron's assistant coach.

Jeff Grose, boys' cross country coach
  The 1985 Mr. Basketball had always hoped to get a chance to teach and coach in Warsaw, where he lived during his seven-year tenure at Elkhart Memorial. It wasn't exactly the way he had planned, but he will take it.
  "I am real excited that I get the chance to pay back this community," Grose said. "Now I can help some kids around here.
  "I married my high school sweetheart (Rachel), and we decided long ago that we were going to stay in the community and raise our kids. Now to be able to have a job here will be real nice."
  Gone will be the two-hour drives (round trip) to work every day.
  "I had mixed feelings about it because I enjoyed Memorial, but I now get the chance to teach and coach kids in the same community that I grew up in. That is the way it should be done."
  Grose, who also played football and tennis at WCHS, admits to not knowing a lot about cross country, but more than willing to learn.
  "I am learning a lot about it," he said. "I have trained for other sports, but nothing like this. I am looking forward to it. It looks like we have a good group of kids."
  Grose will teach social studies.

Tony Boley, wrestling coach
  A WCHS graduate, Boley takes over the Tiger wrestling program after a very successful career at Elwood and Madison-Grant.
  Boley served on the football and wrestling coaching staff at Madison-Grant from 1980 to 1985 when he moved to Elwood. Boley was the head football coach for four years at Elwood and had an 18-18 record.
  As the wrestling coach at Elwood, Boley won eight straight Central Indiana Conference titles along with five sectional and four Madison County titles. He took someone to the state meet five straight years and as a team finished 13th as a team at the state meet in 1994.
  Boley decided to leave Elwood to spend more time with his family and also a chance to return to Warsaw.
  "I have been wanting to get back for six or seven years and have been waiting for the opportunity," he said. "I was looking for a teaching and coaching position, and it didn't open up until now. Also, there had to be a position for my wife.
  "I took advantage of the opportunity, and I figured it may not come around again," he said.
  Boley also brings with him three sons that eventually could make a mark in the wrestling program. Robby, a junior, will most likely make an immediate impact in the upcomign season. Last year, as an 112-pounder, Robby went 31-7 and was the Madison County, sectional and CIC champion. Boley also has sons Anthony in seventh grade and Kyle in fifth grade.
  Boley, who replaces Rich Welborn, will teach life science.

Rachel Etherington, assistant athletic director
  Entering her first administration position, Etherington brings a variety of coaching experience in replacing Mary Hurley, who left to become the AD at Wawasee High School.
  "It is a great opportunity to be in such a fine first-class athletic program," Etherington said. "I could not pass this opportunity up."
  Etherington came to Warsaw after serving two years as the head girls' basketball coach at Elkhart Memorial. Before that, Etherington coached girls' basketball, tennis and volleyball at Western High School for four years.
  Etherington is a 1985 graduate of Richmond High School and a 1990 Georgetown (Ky.) College graduate.
  "It (the assistant AD position) was something I was looking at doing in the long run," she said. "It came up much sooner than I thought. It was totally out of the blue."

Troy Akers, boys' track
  Akers not only makes the switch in schools going from Wawasee to Warsaw, but he also goes from coaching girls' track to coaching boys' track.
  "It is going to be a challenge," Akers said. "I think it is going to be easier. With women, you deal with different emotions every day. The guys don't have as many ups and downs.
  "I know a lot of people on the coaching staff," he said. "Scott Nieveen did an excellent job. It just didn't work out in the time frame for him to be coach again, but he will volunteer and help out."
  Akers proved himself as a girls' coach, winning 30 straight dual matches over the past three seasons, and now he is looking to perform that same magic for the Tiger boys.
  "I am not leaving any ill feelings behind," Akers said. "Wawasee is a great place. The hardest thing was leaving the kids.
  "And also I get to walk into a place that has had a strong tradition in track and field," he said. "It gives me an opportunity to close a good book, starting up in Wawasee with the girls' track and now with the boys."
  Before track season even starts, Akers has another challenge, although one that is not quite as different to him, and that is the role of the defensive coordinator for the Tiger football program.
  Akers assumed the same position last season for the Warriors, but now joins good friend new Tiger head coach Phil Jensen in trying to turn Warsaw's football fortunes around.
  "Coach Jensen has been a good friend of mine forever," Akers said. "I really didn't take it seriously at first when he asked me about it. But I was sold when I came down here and met Mr. (Paul) Crousore and Mr. (Dave) Fulkerson. It was time for a change. I don't put the big emphasis on where the change is taking me, but more for me going to a 5A school from a 4A school and being part of a new football program."
  Akers will teach special education. [[In-content Ad]]