Mustangs turn to Paulk to lift squad back to elite
Former Manvel coach moves over to Friendswood with high expectations
Sarah Paulk always will remember the time she was a high school senior and her team scored a rare victory over Friendswood.
Several of Paulk’s Pearland teammates were injured for that match, but that did not stop the Lady Oilers from winning. It was one of Paulk’s best high school memories before moving onto a college career in which she starred at Maryland.
This fall then tables will be turned. Paulk is Friendswood’s newest head coach.
“This is a huge honor,” she said. “I always competed with and against girls from Friendswood. The fact I get to lead them is a a big deal.”
Paulk spent the last three years as the coach at Manvel, where she led the Lady Mavericks to playoff berths in each season. Before that she was an assistant at Pearland for seven years.
She will be charged with the task of returning Friendswood to the postseason. The Lady Mustangs flourished as a Class 4A school but did not qualify for the playoffs in its first two years as a Class 6A school. Friendswood went 14-25 in 2015 but improved to 25-17 last year.
“Historically they are really talented,” Paulk said. “There are Division I kids coming through every year. They haven’t made the playoffs, but the talent is there. We will make a few adjustments here and there.”
Although Paulk is still at Manvel until the end of the school year, she has been able to visit Friendswood in the afternoons. She is still getting to know the players and instilling in them that they are a playoff-caliber team despite what the last two seasons has shown.
Manvel played several teams from District 24-6A over the last two years, including Clear Creek in the second round of the playoffs last season.
If Paulk’s track record at Manvel carries over to Friendswood, the Lady Mustangs could be back in the playoffs in short time. Manvel had not made the playoffs in three years prior to Paulk’s arrival. The Lady Mavericks got back there in Paulk’s first year and eventually won a playoff match in their third try.
The difference will be that Manvel never had to play in a district as difficult as the one Friendswood is in. Clear Creek ISD routinely fields teams that are good enough to win a regional championship.
Friendswood did that when it was a 4A school. Eventually Paulk would like to get the Lady Mustangs back there. The first goal is to get the team back to the postseason.
“They want it, and they expect it,” Paulk said. “They know they have the talent.
“They just have to push a little bit harder to get over that hump. I think they were headed in the right direction.”