Juelch ready for new challenges as Elliot AD
Angela Juelch has seen the growth of athletics programs from the coaching and family sides.
Now she will get a chance to run a high school athletics program.
Recently, Juelch was named the new Elliot Christian High athletic director. She replaces Jason Hitt, who stepped down from that role and the school’s boys basketball coach after four years. Hitt led the Eagles to more than 20 wins each of the last four seasons. Last school year, Hitt, who taught at the campus for three years, became a physical education teacher at Bear Creek High, which is in the Lodi Unified School District.
Juelch said Elliot Christian Principal Mark Stewart approached her about guiding the Eagles’ athletic department after Hitt stepped down. She was leaving her job of 10 years as an administrative assistant at Lodi Christian School.
“(I) started the athletic program there where I ran it for eight years,” said Juelch, who has also coached volleyball at the preschool-throug-heighth-grade school.
In the last six years, Juelch has also been involved in Elliot athletics. She coached and kept score for the Eagles’ volleyball and girls basketball teams.
There is going to be one change Elliot student-athletes will see at the start of the 2018-19 school year, which starts on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
“This year, we are offering one sports fee for the year and the students can play up to three sports,” Juelch said. “We are also in the process of getting approved to join campuses with another school to provide sports for them and add more athletes to our teams.”
Juelch is looking at the Eagles’ athletic program for upcoming years.
Currently, Elliot offers volleyball, cross-country, boys and girls basketball, co-ed soccer, cheerleading, baseball, softball, track and field, co-ed golf and swimming/diving. Co-ed soccer took place last winter. The school did not field a girls basketball team last winter because of low turnout.
“We will definitely have co-ed soccer this winter,” Juelch said. “The athletes who played last year had a fun time and are looking to do it
again. They also have gotten several other students excited about playing.”
If there is enough interest by current freshmen, sophomores and juniors who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors for the 2019-20 school year, Elliot plans to field a flag football, wrestling and co-ed tennis teams. Smaller schools in the section, including Lodi area schools Galt and Liberty Ranch, have co-ed tennis teams that play in the spring season.
“I am hoping to add flag football next fall,” Juelch said.
This decade, Elliot has seen the rise and fall of its enrollment. Four years ago, Elliot had more than 150 students on the campus that opened its doors in 1998. Now, according to the Sac-Joaquin Section’s website, Elliot has only 81 students. The Juelch family has been involved in athletics throughout this decade. Angela’s husband, George, has worked with the Elliot softball and baseball teams.
Juelch’s youngest daughter, Lexie, graduated from Elliot almost two months ago. Lexie Juelch was a four-sport athlete in volleyball, soccer, basketball and softball. Lexie will be attending Arizona State this fall, majoring to become a dietitian.
Angela Juelch’s oldest daughter, Haylie, a 2016 Elliot graduate, also attended the campus all four years. Haylie Juelch played volleyball, basketball and softball. This fall, Haylie will be a junior at Boise State, majoring in media arts.