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Hernando Today

Hernando's Charlow Resigns

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: January 28, 2009

Three years ago, 21-year-old Hernando High alumnus Cristi Charlow (then using her maiden name of Brown) took over her old school's volleyball program barely older than the players she would coach.

This week the 2003 Hernando grad resigned from the post facing a new stage of her life: motherhood.

On Nov. 3 Charlow gave birth to her first child, Katelyn. On Feb. 28, her husband Tom, a member of the U.S. Air Force, will be deployed to Kuwait for 6-7 months.

Facing the temporary task of caring for her newborn alone, the choice became clear.

"A lot of parents of the girls said 'we'd be happy to watch your baby,''" Charlow said. "I think that's great for the parents to offer that and my mom is there doing the book and my mom said if I really wanted to do it, we'd do what we need to do.

"But with my husband being gone, I'd be getting home at 11 at night three or four nights a week. That's not fun for me, let alone (Katelyn). She's already not getting to see one parent.

"There's just so many things going in my life that I think I'll put (volleyball) on hold until later."

Purple and Gold roots

Charlow leaves Hernando with a 36-39 record, but posted two winning campaigns. She earned Hernando Today Coach of the Year honors in 2006 after taking over for Dena Frye and leading the team to a 17-10 mark.

The Lady Leopards slipped to 13-12 in 2007 before falling to 6-17 this past season with a young nucleus.

Charlow had spent nine of the past 10 years within the program, first as a player from 1999-2002. As a senior outside hitter she earned All-Conference honors from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

She returned to the team in 2004 as an assistant under Frye, her former coach at both Hernando and Parrott Middle School.

When Frye stepped down because of health concerns in the spring of 2006, Charlow, who works at the county's Office of Management and Budget, was eventually tabbed as her replacement.

"It was a great experience," Charlow said. "As a first-year coach I was 21. I was worried about being young but the girls have been great to me and the other coaches helped me out throughout the years, as has Dena.

"Overall it's been a great experience for me and I hope the girls have learned something, as well."

Though a handful of names have surfaced as potential replacements, Hernando Principal Ken Pritz declined to reveal any names because he had only received verbal interest.

"I'm going to get with Mr. Pritz and meet in the next couple of days," Athletic Director John Palmer said. "We'll decide on the course of action to take."

As required by union rules, the position will be posted. While that process must be carried out, Pritz indicated he would like to fill the void as soon as possible.

"I think (Charlow) had a respectable program they could be proud of," said Pritz, in his first year as the school's principal. "And I think she did a good job."

BY THE NUMBERS: HHS UNDER CRISTI CHARLOW
Year Record
2006 17-10
2007 13-12
2008 6-17
TOTAL 36-39

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at 352-544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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