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Ryan Waters Accepts Head Basketball Coaching Job At Cabool

Ryan Waters Accepts Head Basketball Coaching Job At Cabool

By David Sharp

Former Knox County R-I assistant coach Ryan Waters has accepted the head boy’s basketball coaching position at Cabool High School in southwest Missouri. The Bulldogs play in the South Central Conference and are a Class 3 basketball school.
Ryan Waters will teach PE at Cabool in addition to his basketball coaching duties. “Any time you can coach at a Class 3 school in a head coaching capacity it is a fantastic opportunity,” said Ryan Waters. “Their facilities are great. From the administration standpoint, they seem to be wonderful people to work for.”
“I am really excited. I am really anxious to get down there and get to work,” said Waters. The move was apparently set in motion when the Knox County R-I Board of Education voted 4-3 not to offer Ryan Waters a contract as boy’s assistant basketball coach for the 2009-10 academic year.
According to the minutes of the April 21, 2009 Executive Session meeting of the Knox County R-I Board of Education, Superintendent D.J. Leverton recommended offering an extra duty contract to Ryan Waters as High School Boy’s Assistant Basketball Coach and Assistant Baseball Coach.
Stacy Harder, Craig Miller and Karen Hall voted to follow the recommendation of administration and extend the contract.
Shelly Bugh, Mark Cardwell, Nancy Averill and Darrell Shultz voted against the motion to extend Waters the assistant coaching contract.
According to Ryan Waters, no reason was given for the board action. Knox County played in three district championship games during the three seasons head boy’s baseball and basketball coach Jesse Crawford and assistant Ryan Waters have been at Knox County.
The Eagles won 39 varsity boys’ basketball games and consecutive district championships during the last two years. Knox County won the Tri-Rivers Conference baseball championship in 2008.
“It’s been a good run at Knox County,” said Ryan Waters. “Coach (Jesse) Crawford is a great coach. I learned a lot from him. I really respect our kids. They have worked hard for me. I thought by the end of the season our JV improved 150%.”
“I foresee a lot of great things coming out of Knox (County). It was a tough decision for me to go, but I think it’s for the best all around,” said Waters.  A substantial salary increase reportedly went along with Ryan Waters’ new responsibilities. Cabool was 9-14 during their varsity boy’s campaign and 2-5 in conference play according to Coach Waters.
One of the best and brightest head coaches in Northeast Missouri has a branch off his coaching tree. “I’m excited for him to go on and get a head coaching position at a big high school,” said Knox County head boy’s basketball and baseball coach Jesse Crawford of the hiring.
“I wish him the best of luck. He has been an integral part of our success the past three years. He has done a lot for our defense,” said Jesse Crawford. “He has helped the younger kids as they advanced through our program.”
 “It’s tough to let him go. He has been the right hand man as we implemented a lot of the things we do,” said Jesse Crawford of Ryan Waters. “It will be a bit different not to have him on the sidelines. I know he will have success down at Cabool.”
Coaches re hired by the Board by a 7-0 vote at the April 21, 2009 meeting included Jesse Crawford as head boy’s basketball and baseball coach.
Jesse Crawford will also serve as high school assistant football coach. Steve Ramer was offered the head football job. John Weaver was offered the head girls’ basketball coaching position as well as the head Middle School football coaching job.