NORTH MANCHESTER – The Manchester High School girls basketball team will have its third head coach in three years when the 2014-15 season tips off. MHS Athletic Director Jeremy Markham confirmed Tuesday evening that coach Brooke Airgood has submitted her resignation for ‘personal reasons’ and it is expected to be accepted at the April 1 school board meeting. In her lone season at Manchester, Airgood’s inexperienced squad finished 1-19. Airgood’s arrival followed 12 seasons under the direction of Mark Underwood, who led the program to three sectional and four Three Rivers Conference titles, although the team was 8-15 in his final year. Airgood attended Manchester High School before moving to Arizona nearly 20 years ago. Before returning to the area, she coached boys and girls basketball in California, as well as track and field and volleyball. A physical education/health teacher, Airgood will no longer be leading the basketball team and Markham must go through the process of hiring yet another coach. “We will post the position and put together a search committee,” he said. “Obviously, we’d like to get someone in place as soon as possible. That way, we can get them to open gyms, summer camps and those type of things.” Having just gone through the process a year ago, Markham believes there will be interest and has an idea of the type of coach he’s looking to hire. “You’re always looking for someone who’s going to teach fundamentals,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing with any sport, in my opinion as an athletic director. We want someone who can build relationships, teach fundamentals and obviously, schematically, work offense and defense for all the different situations you see in the game of basketball. “We’re hoping there will be some good interest in the position, but time will tell,” he added.
