LIBERTY RANCH NAMES NEW A.D.
GALT — Anthony Linebaugh loves new challenges.
In his first and now second tenure as the Liberty Ranch High football coach, Linebaugh has motivated his Hawk players to be successful on and off the field. That included last season when Liberty Ranch won a share of the Sierra Valley Conference title, posted an 8-3 record and a Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoff berth.
In the classroom, Linebaugh teaches English at Liberty Ranch. Like every person who enters the educational field, Linebaugh thrives on building strengths and confidence in his students.
On Monday, Linebaugh welcomes his newest challenge as the new Liberty Ranch athletic director.
Last month, Liberty Ranch Principal Joe Saramago hired Linebaugh, who was one of two candidates who applied for the position. The Galt Joint Union High School District’s board of trustees approved the hiring last month.
Linebaugh takes over for Janice Williams, who retired as teacher and the school’s AD on Friday. Williams coached volleyball, girls and boys golf, girls basketball and softball at Liberty Ranch and Galt high schools, along with running athletics at Galt during the 2004-05 school year.
“Anthony, like Janice, is very organized, cares about kids, and will do an outstanding job as athletic director,” said Saramago of Linebaugh.
Another challenge of being an AD at a small high school like Liberty Ranch is working with returning and new coaches at the school in a leadership role.
“The opportunity to work with colleagues and still be able to coach is a rare opportunity and one that I am very blessed to have,” Linebaugh said. “I vividly remember the challenges of being a young coach, having questions, and not exactly sure about where to get answers. I look forward to helping younger/newer coaches better understand the responsibilities and challenges of coaching interscholastic sports.”
Linebaugh is fourth of the six Lodi area high schools whose athletic directors also run an athletic program. Tokay’s Michael Holst is a teacher and football head coach. Holst and Linebaugh join Elliot Christian’s Jason Hitt, who runs the boys basketball program, and Lodi Academy’s Kory Gabrys, who coached the school’s firstever boys volleyball team, and the girls volleyball team.
When the 2017-18 school year starts in two months, Liberty Ranch, which uses a block schedule, allows Linebaugh to teach English and college career classes. That goes along with his athletic director duties that include administrative paper work, plus attending most home games.
“The role athletic director spans the entire day,” Linebaugh said. “I use any time I can to communicate with others via phone, email or in person. It can take place during prep time, lunch, before school or after school.”
There is plenty of excitement about Liberty Ranch athletics. This past
school year, Liberty Ranch won six SVC titles in football, boys basketball, girls soccer, baseball, softball and boys track and field.
This summer, the school’s football field, which is just a grass field with goal posts but no bleachers, will undergo a major face-lift that is scheduled to be completed next spring. That grass will be torn out and artificial turf will be installed. An all-weather track around the football field will also be installed, plus stadium seating for both the home and visitor sides and a press box.
“It is a very exciting time for Liberty Ranch athletics,” Linebaugh said. “There is much work to be done with the transitions that will be taking place in the future. Yet, the opportunities for our programs to grow are tremendous.”
Liberty Ranch student-athletes are getting the job done academically, too. According to Williams, there were 176 Hawk student-athletes who earned a 3.5 GPA during the 2016-17 school year.
Before the 2016-17 school year ended at Liberty Ranch this week, which concluded with the Class of 2017 holding its graduation ceremony at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento on Friday, Williams removed one less thing for Linebaugh to worry about when the start of the 2017-18 school year starts in early August. That was scheduling game officials for Liberty Ranch’s home football and volleyball games and matches, plus scheduling game officials for those home games.
“Both of them (Williams and Saramago) have been very helpful in guiding according to the expectations and responsibilities that accompany the role of athletic director,” Linebaugh said. “I am looking forward to continuing to work with them as the transition continues.”