New Girls Basketball Coach
NEW GIRLS BASKETBALL ASSISTANT A FORMER COLLEGE PLAYER WITH DIVERSE RESUMÉ
The Lady Mustangs welcomed a new assistant coach, Sarah Gayler to the team. Gayler brings a diverse resume and is a “great addition” according to coach, Blake Short.
An opening in the history department at McDonald County High School has led the Lady Mustangs getting a new assistant basketball coach.
Sarah Gayler accepted a full-time history substitute job, but when school officials took a look at her resume, it was obvious that she would be a big asset to the Lady Mustangs basketball team as an assistant to Blake Short.
Gayler recently moved to Wyandotte, Okla., to be with her mother and a niece and nephew.
“My mom got a little sick and so I decided to take this season to be with her and help with the kids,” Gayler said. “I was just going to sub and do some basketball clinics here and there. When I was filling out the application here, Dr. Stanton (superintendent Dr. Mark Stanton) saw me and said, ‘If you are going to be here, you might as well get back in coaching.’ I would love to because who wants to be away from the game when that is really all you do? It’s my life.”
Gayler attended high school in Norman, Okla., before playing basketball for four years at the University of New Orleans. Her coaching career began at the high school level in Carrolton, Texas, before she got the bug to continue playing.
“I went to Hungary for a season, but came back and played semipro,” Cayler said. “I figured out my passion was coaching men, so from 2010-2013 I worked with the Texas Legends, which is the Dallas Mavericks developmental league team. I wasn’t necessarily on coaching staff with them, but worked with the athletic trainer. That put me at every practice and all the games right behind the bench. I was able to learn a lot from the coaches there. At the
time it was Nancy Lieberman, Del Harris and Eddie Najera. I was able to learn from some really good people.”
While with the Legends, Gayler also coached men’s teams, including the Dallas North Dallas Vandals, a feeder team to the developmental team. She also served as a strength and conditioning coach during an NFL lookout year and worked with some NFL players.
From there she went to Louisiana for two years before going to Kentucky last year.
“I was with a men’s professional team,” Cayler said. “We had former NBA guys and former D-league guys along with former international players.”
Short was glad that McDonald County was able to get
“She has coached at a lot of levels and has really bought into what we are doing as a coaching staff and as a program. Adding a woman to the coaching staff when you are coaching girls is a great thing.” Blake Short Mustangs Basketball Coach
someone with Gayler’s experience into the girl’s basketball program.
“Coach Gayler has been a great addition for us,” Short said. “She has coached at a lot of levels and has really bought into what we are doing as a coaching staff and as a program. Adding a woman to the coaching staff when you are coaching girls is a great thing. She knows the game and understands what we are wanting to do. She is good to have around and will benefit us this year. I look forward to working together this year.”
Even though she has experience coaching and working with professional men players, Cayler is excited to be coaching at MCHS.
“I love these girls,” Cayler said. “They have so much potential. I can’t say enough good things about them. Working with Coach Short and Coach Vire has been great. I want to thank Dr. Stanton and Nick (athletic director Nick Martin) for giving me this opportunity.”