It’s one thing to go a week without a coach, but it’s an entirely different challenge when your senior season is already a month underway without proper guidance. 

For the past three years, Mitch Pontious coached javelin, overseeing a group of throwers that experienced massive growth. In 2024, our numbers grew to around 20 athletes. 

However, this year we learned that Pontious would not be returning. The news hit hard, and many of our teammates decided to leave, reducing our number to seven.

Head throws coach Abby Belt contacted Kortney Schutt, a friend and former college track and field teammate.

“It has been a joy to have Coach Schutt join us,” Belt said. “We threw together in college, and she was the first person to come to mind when it came to filling the role. She is exceptionally talented as an athlete and a coach, and I knew she would bring so much goodness to our throws program. 

“Beyond athletics, she is a standout human being who helps people be their best in and out of sports. Having strong role models for my kids is paramount to our overall success.”

But what took so long for Schutt to be named an assistant coach?

According to athletic director Russell Baldwin, all out-of-district coaches’ paperwork is submitted through Derby Athletics’ hiring site, Applitrack. 

“Basically, it’s the same whether the person is in district or out of district, but we have a coaching job open with our system,” Baldwin said. “We put the job out there, and it was out there for a number of months, and had no applicants. And that happens quite a bit.

“When we get applications, I send the information to the head coaches to start a preliminary interview with all the applicants.
So, in this case, if it’s a district person or it’s an in-district person, they start that interview process.”

Schutt wasn’t approved to come to practice until April 7.

“I don’t know exactly (what happened),” Baldwin said. “(Human resources) is supposed to tell me. Again, I have no clue, but they’re looking into it. But the application was sent through at the end of February.”

Seniors Sam Irick, Hayley Smyth, Kortney Smyth and I, along with juniors Hayden Douglas, Ella Ediger and Henlee Dorrell, found ourselves in a challenging situation. 

With no coach and no idea where the javelins had been stored, we were left to navigate the early weeks of practice on our own. The search for our equipment was just the beginning.

Once we finally found our javelins, we had to take on the role of coaches for one another while Belt divided her attention between discus and shot put. 

Finally, after an agonizing wait of 4½ weeks, Schutt was approved. More than a month without adequate coaching left us scrambling to catch up, heading into competitions without the proper preparation we desperately needed.

“Despite the challenges, we have developed a system that works for us. I know I can always count on (Schutt) and that she will continue to do great things for our kids,” Belt said.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time this situation has happened. In 2024, we had to replace our distance, pole vault and hurdles coaches. The team waited weeks before our three new coaches were approved to come to practice. 

Safety concerns arise when athletes practice alone, especially in pole vault and javelin. 

In 2026, someone will have to replace Belt. 

So the question is, will track have to face another long-awaited period for another coach?