ACSD Board accepts resignation of Waukon girls basketball varsity head coach Andy Sires

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Education met in special session Tuesday morning, December 27 to accept the resignation of Andy Sires from his position as head coach for the Waukon girls varsity basketball team. Following meetings with ACSD administrators during the early part of last week, Sires submitted a letter of resignation to the Board Thursday, December 22 in the middle of his third year at the head coaching helm. In his letter, addressed to ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold, Sires wrote, “With deep regret, I formally submit this letter of resignation for the head coach of girls’ basketball. I want to thank the School Board and Administration for all the coaching opportunities I have had through the years here in Waukon.”
In a statement released Monday, December 26, Sires further stated, “Since being offered this position three years ago, I’ve tried to offer the girls a good basketball experience. I guess a 2-6 start this year didn’t meet expectations. I definitely didn’t want to step aside mid-year, but when I was approached by the administration I wasn’t left with much for options. Plus, it really made me think about the impact coaching has had on my family. I’m at peace with the change and I wish for nothing but the best for Indian girls basketball.”
In addition to acting on Sires’ resignation, the Board also approved as his replacement Dave Schoeberlein, who has been the longtime Waukon girls basketball junior varsity/varsity assistant coach and was recommended by the administration to replace Sires on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2016-2017 basketball season. In addition, the Board also approved the administration’s recommendation of Madison Wagner to replace Schoeberlein as the JV/assistant varsity coach. Wagner is a former college basketball player at Ashford University in Clinton, is currently a first-year ACSD staff member as a middle school teacher and was head coach for the Waukon varsity volleyball team this fall. All three approvals by the Board were done unanimously.
Superintendent Herold commented in a written statement, “Normally, the Board does not meet during the holiday break, but in this instance, the administration felt the need to put a plan in place to immediately fill these vacancies.”
Sires served as a longtime Waukon varsity assistant girls basketball coach under former coach Gene Klinge and was hired as the program’s varsity head coach when Klinge’s contract was not renewed following the 2013-2014 season, when his team posted an 8-12 season record. Since assuming the helm, Sires has guided the Indians to season records of 7-15 and 9-12 before getting the current season off to a 2-6 start.