LYNNWOOD — When searching for new head coaches for its boys and girls basketball programs earlier this year, Meadowdale High School decided to keep both positions in the Maverick family.
Roger O’Neill and Caitlyn Houvener (formerly Rohrbach) were hired to lead the boys and girls programs respectively. Both are Meadowdale alums that starred for their programs while playing in high school.
“I think our programs are going to a really exciting level,” Meadowdale athletic director Beth Marriott said. “We’re excited about their enthusiasm and we love the fact that they’ve both been Mavericks and that they have such a commitment to our community and our programs. I’m looking forward to seeing them bring us to a place where we’ve been over the years with Maverick pride and Mavericks spirit.”
That place could be the state tournament. Both Houvener and O’Neill played in multiple state tournaments and Houvener, who graduated in 2006, was a part of the school’s last state championship basketball team in 2004.
“I love the tradition that’s been built (at Meadowdale) and so I’m definitely going to do my best to honor the tradition,” Houvener said. “…But my main goal is just moving forward and getting the program to a place where we’re competing. I’m not necessarily saying we’re going to win state, but we’re going to be competing and kind of building it back up. I’m excited for the challenge and I think it will be a good journey.”
O’Neill helped lead the Mavericks to the state tournament as a junior and a senior. They made the semifinals and placed sixth in 2009, his senior year.
“I know for me and for Caitlyn, we take a lot of pride in this school and in our programs,” O’Neill said. “We’ve seen what it takes to be successful and the kids know that. They know that we’ve been a part of these programs when they were very successful and going to state tournaments every year and all that stuff. Just seeing what it takes to win, and have a tradition at Meadowdale and living through that is going to help us with our visions of our programs because we’ve seen it already.”
O’Neill went on to play four seasons at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey after graduating from Meadowdale.
Given their basketball pedigrees, hiring O’Neill and Houvener wasn’t a shock — especially to their former head coaches.
“I think it’s a great hire,” former Meadowdale boys coach Chad McGuire said of O’Neill. “In my mind it was a no-brainer. I know he’s young, but I think Roger has been a coach his whole life. He’s that kind of a classic player who was always a coach on the floor, always a leader on the floor. He’s always been that guy. He’s always taught the game really well, even as a player. It doesn’t surprise me and I’m ecstatic about the hire.”
McGuire resigned as head coach in 2011 to spend more time with his family. Andy Streit, another former Meadowdale player, took over for McGuire. O’Neill has served as the junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant to Streit the past two seasons.
Houvener advanced to the state tournament in all four seasons of her high-school career, highlighted by the Mavericks’ 3A state championship in 2004. She also helped the Mavericks earn a fifth-place finish in 2003 3A state tournament.
The Mavericks moved to 4A for her junior and senior seasons. They placed eighth in Houvener’s senior year of 2006.
Houvener played for Dan Taylor, who is currently the head coach at King’s High School and led the Knights to a state championship in March, that season. It was the only season Houvener played for Taylor, but he continues to have an impact on her life today.
Houvener helped Taylor coach select basketball for two years after she graduated from Seattle Pacific University before relocating to Tennessee.
“I think she’ll do a great job,” Taylor said of Houvener. “She’s very organized and encouraging. She has a great demeanor and she is a great leader. I think they’ll do very well under her. It’s been a while since they’ve had a female in that program too. I think that’s a big bonus to have a great female role model to set a good example of what it takes to be a competitive female athlete.”
McGuire and Taylor both still teach at Meadowdale.
Houvener served as an assistant coach at two separate high schools in Tennessee the past two seasons. She helped The Webb School, a college preparatory high school in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, to a state championship before moving back to Washington with her husband and seven-month old son Mason earlier this year.
“I’ve won state as a player and now I’ve won it as an assistant coach, so hopefully as a head coach someday I’ll be able to check that off my list,” Houvener said.
O’Neill had the luxury of coaching many of the players who will play for him next season as the JV coach. Houvener has used summer leagues and tournament to get to know many of the players who will be part of her program next season.
“I have loved the summer so far,” Houvener said. “It’s been a great time just getting to know the girls that I’m going to be having and them getting to know me a little bit. It’s just been a lot of fun.”
The hiring of O’Neill and Houvener seems to be following a trend of younger high school coaches in recent years, but that might not be a bad thing.
“I think there is a factor of relatability,” Houvener said. “We’re not too far removed from the game. I think it’s cool that some younger coaches are coming in. It just provides a really good energy to the game.”
Taylor said he doesn’t think age matters at all, as long as the right people get the job.
“I disagree with many folks that say just because people are young that they can’t do a certain job,” he said. “Those two are mature beyond their years. I think those two are more mature than many other coaches that are out there. I would say they would probably be even more mature than I was at their age.”
Part of that maturity is realizing what matters most — the kids.
“I think the good thing about Roger and Caitlyn is they understand — they want to win games — but it’s also about giving the people that go through the program a great experience,” McGuire said. “I don’t think you’re going to find two people that are going to work harder to try to give the people going through the Meadowdale basketball program a good experience.”
Aaron Lommers covers prep sports for The Herald. Follow him on Twitter at @aaronlommers and contact him at alommers@heraldnet.com.
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