Larry Jensen is heading up the Medomak Valley varsity girls’ soccer program this fall. He takes over for Joel Lufkin, who coached the Lady Panthers for the past two seasons. For seniors on the squad, Jensen will be their third coach in four years.
Jensen has a wealth of coaching experience. He has 36 years of teaching experience under his belt, and has coached JV programs off and on at Medomak for 14 years.
He has taught at Medomak since 1980, and has coached JV girls’ soccer, freshman and JV girls’ basketball, JV and varsity boys’ basketball, has been an assistant softball coach, and varsity and assistant track coach.
Jensen has been asked to head up the girls’ soccer program a couple of different times. “I never thought the timing was right. This time when Matt (Lash) asked I said ‘why not?'”
Jensen expects a smooth transition. “I’m hoping it will be. I think it will be. Joel and I are a lot alike. Joel was old school and I feel I’m old school. Joel’s an emotional guy and I’m an emotional guy. He’s verbal and I’m verbal,” Jensen said.
“We will try a new formation. We have tried it a little bit this summer,” Jensen said of changes to the program. “We’re going to substitute fairly frequently. We’re going to keep fresh legs on the field.”
Jensen inherits a veteran team, with the loss of only two seniors from last year’s squad. “It has been fun so far. They are a good group. They’re looking pretty good. I’m going to keep it pretty much the same. All the girls except Alanna Vose have played for me before. I know them and they know me. I’ll be wearing a different hat, but I think it will be a fairly easy transition,” Jensen said.
Medomak Valley kicks off their fall season on Aug. 15 at 6 p.m. for the opening practice.