November 5, 2026 at 3:30 PM - Athletic Committee Meeting

Open Coaching Positions

Discussion and consideration of current open coaching positions, including recruitment efforts, potential candidates, staffing needs, and next steps for filling the following vacancies:

1. Head Girls Soccer Coach

2. Girls Varsity Basketball - Second Assistant Coach

3. Boys Varsity Basketball - Second Assistant Coach

4. Middle School Head Softball Coach

5. Varsity Head Softball Coach

MS Head Softball Coach
Varsity Head Softball Coach 

Fall Season Highlights

A few highlights from the Athletics Department:

• Fall sports have officially wrapped up, and several of our teams and student-athletes enjoyed successful seasons while representing Derry Area well.

• Girls Volleyball qualified for the WPIAL playoffs, earning a first-round road victory over South Park before falling to No. 1-seeded Freeport in the second round.

• Girls Tennis had an outstanding season, finishing second in their section with just one section loss, coming against section champion Mt. Pleasant. The team also had two individual section medalists. Melody Ann Marsh captured the Section Championship, while Melissa Polinsky finished third. Both represented Derry Area well throughout the postseason.

• Cross Country had a competitive season, with our student-athletes continuing to work hard and represent Derry Area throughout the fall.

• Boys Soccer continued to develop throughout the season as a young team. With only one senior graduating, the program has a strong foundation returning next year and plenty of opportunity to build on this season's progress.

• Football experienced an up-and-down season but finished strong, winning its final two games and narrowly missing out on a WPIAL playoff berth.

• Girls Soccer had a successful cooperative agreement with Ligonier Valley, providing three Derry Area student-athletes the opportunity to compete on an all-girls team.

• Boys Golf was represented in the WPIAL postseason, with Cody Williams qualifying for the WPIAL Championship.

• Girls Golf represented Derry Area well and gained valuable experience throughout the season. We look forward to seeing the continued development and growth of the program in the years ahead.

Winter Sports Start-Up

Winter sports are right around the corner! The first official day of winter sports practice is Friday, November 20, with scrimmages beginning November 28 and regular-season games starting December 4.

Derry Area winter sports programs include:

• Varsity Swimming & Diving

• Boys and Girls Wrestling (JH & Varsity) 

• Boys and Girls Basketball (MS Boys & Girls/Boys Varsity)

• Bocce

• Middle School Girls Volleyball

Backstroke Wedges - Swimming

The Derry Area Swimming Boosters are interested in purchasing backstroke wedges (see attached). These wedges are currently used by other local schools and will be utilized at WPIAL and/or PIAA events. The boosters are exploring the possibility of splitting the purchase cost with the District.

Potential Cooperative Agreement - Girls Tennis

Derry Area and Ligonier Valley are in the very early stages of exploring a potential cooperative agreement for girls tennis. Both schools are currently in the information-gathering phase, with no formal decisions or commitments made at this time.