On Monday night, the Sedalia 200 School Board approved a new head coach for the Smith-Cotton High Lady Tigers basketball program.

The decision was approved in closed session on May 14 and Jessie Arnold will be the new head coach for the Lady Tigers basketball team.

Arnold, a sixth grade English Language Arts teacher at Smith-Cotton Junior High, served as assistant coach last season under Jonathan Tester, who resigned from the position.

Before coming to Sedalia 200 district last year, she was the junior varsity women’s basketball coach for two years at Central Methodist University, in Fayette.

“I could not be more thrilled and excited to be named the new head coach,” Arnold said. “By working with the girls last year as the assistant, I was able to build a strong relationship with the players and community. I look forward to building onto that foundation and continuing to impact the young ladies in a positive way.”

S-C Athletic Director Rob Davis said: “Coach Arnold is a passionate young coach who has the drive, energy, and enthusiasm to continue the rebuild of our girls basketball program. I believe that her experiences as a college player, college coach, and her one year as our assistant will lend itself to instant credibility with our athletes and community. I am excited to work with her as she leads the program into the future.”

Arnold is eager to implement her philosophy, which centers on commitment, hard work and sportsmanship.

“I strongly believe in the value of hard work, and these young ladies will be taught intangibles far beyond the basketball court,” she said. “My expectations are that as one single program, we get 1 percent better each and every day; that is conducive to long-term success.“

Sedalia 200
Sedalia 200
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