By Beth Clifford
Online Managing Editor
Friday brought on a frenzy of activity at Prospect High School: a pep assembly, a psych fair, and, most dramatically, breaking news out of our girls’ athletic department. Girls’ head basketball coach Ashley Graham has officially resigned from Prospect basketball and is going to be coaching varsity at Stevenson High School for the next basketball season, as Prospect administration and girls’ Athletic Director Jean Rezny confirms.
“I’m certainly disappointed that Coach Graham is leaving Prospect,” Rezny wrote in a statement. “She did an outstanding job over the past three seasons running the program. I wish her the best in her new coaching position.”
Graham called for an all-program meeting early before school on Friday, including prospective players as well as soon-to-be graduating seniors on this year’s past team.
As the upcoming senior leaders for the 2015-2016 season described, the players did not expect this news but “knew something was going on” as soon as they entered the room. The meeting left players, as well as Coach Graham herself, emotional in departure.
Graham coached the 2014-2015 team to a season record of 26-3, making her third varsity team the most successful girls’ basketball team in Prospect history. The sudden leave, therefore, came as a surprise according to players.
“Initially, I was just shocked,” junior Clare O’Carroll said. “Coach Graham’s whole message was about rebuilding the program, and so now [us incoming seniors] have to just help rebuild again.”
O’Carroll, as well as the rest of the incoming senior leaders, are not taking their reactions with a bitter tone despite the sudden news that leaves them coachless heading into their senior year. Instead, the tone they take is one of understanding.
“I’m doing my best to be happy for her because there is obviously a huge opportunity for her at Stevenson,” junior Olivia Sykes said. “I wouldn’t be where I am as a player without her, so I’m just going to take what she gave us with the three years we had and try to help the next coach rebuild.”
Coach Graham’s decision to resign did not come lightly. In the end, she decided that in order to allow her young family to continue to grow, she needed to be physically closer to her son and husband at their home in Libertyville. The coaching position at Stevenson offered her that opportunity.
“We are not looking to move away from Libertyville,” Graham said. “That’s really the driving factor… Make the distance shorter and also continue to do what I love.”
Saying goodbye to Prospect and the program she helped build in the past three years will not be easy, as she described in a phone interview Friday afternoon.
“[Leaving Prospect] is going to be extremely difficult. In life, you find that as you get older, the decisions just get harder. It’s not just myself anymore that I can think about like how it was when I first was hired.”
Players from the 2014-2015 season also echoed her emotion.
“She’s probably one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” junior Nikki Matters said. “She put 100%- even more than 100%- into it. I will be forever grateful. In the end, we hope the best for her. Family comes first.”
As a result of her decision, Graham will be returning to the school where she held her first coaching job. She was the assistant varsity coach at Stevenson from 2009 to 2012, where she will be the new varsity coach for the 2015-2016 season. Looking forward, Graham aims to build the same kind of program she led at Prospect.
“[At Stevenson, I hope to] set the same standards and expectations that we had at Prospect,” Graham said. “[I hope to] create a culture that is like a family and a positive atmosphere where the kids look forward to playing the game of basketball and loving the game of basketball… Where [the players are] successful on and off the court and in their personal lives.”
The Prospect basketball program sends her off with wishes for success.
“I’m really happy for her,” senior and star-player Catherine Sherwood said. “She’s going to do really great things at Stevenson, and I wish her all the best.”
“I am forever grateful for the opportunity Prospect gave me and all the support I received,” Graham said in a concluding message. “It is a first class school with wonderful administrators, teachers and kids. Prospect will always hold such a special place in my heart as well as the girls’ basketball program.”