WOLVERINES

work. Price took a young team to the playoffs and built the foundation for the Wolverines to get back to their regular standard.

“He did a great job," Wilson said of Price's opening season. "He and his staff worked as hard as any staff that have ever come through here. We lost a class of 16 and then 12 in consecutive years. Last year he had two kids that had played four quarters every week on both sides of the ball. Experience is critical and they did a great job making the playoffs and they were competitive.”

On the hardwood, the Wolverines boys and girls basketball teams are going through a coaching change also. This transition should be much smoother than most.

Michael Seger took over a boys program that had struggled to win in recent years and a girls team that was rebuilding from a state championship team that mostly would not return. In two years, he had the girls team in Jackson in the Elite 8 and in three years the boys were district champions.

However, Seger announced prior to last season that he was leaving the United States to serve in a school for orphans with his family in Uganda on mission. Instead of leaving the Wolverines high and dry, Seger put a plan in motion to set the program up long term. He coached both teams through last season and he brought in his mentor and former boss Jon Ginn as an assistant and coach-in-waiting.

“Coach Seger was probably one of the hardest working coaches I've ever been around, and he was so organized,” Wilson said. “Truth be known, he learned that from coach Ginn so it was not a hard transition at all. (Ginn) hasn't missed a beat and they worked hard just about every day in June with a gym full of players.”

While the product on the field and court is the utmost importance, having top notch facilities for the players is equally critical and that's been a priority in Cumberland for years.

This summer there have been some big projects and minor facelifts to help continue in the right direction. A girl's weight room in the gym has been the biggest priority of the summer allowing a separate facility for girls sports to train. The East Webster football field will also have a minor update at the football entrance and the baseball batting cages also got some work.

This is the quiet time for the Wolverines, but they're always working for the real games ahead. Those are the ones that Wilson is excited about most this fall and spring in year two of his duties.

“I expect us to do like we've always done," Wilson said. "I expect us to compete and have the best support of anybody in the state. We'll click on just like we always have.”