Clara Just Hands Over the Reins
|
 The Blake School's head softball coach Clara Just has announced her resignation after 5 years at the helm of the program. Clara's enthusiastic, professional approach to coaching and her ability to mentor young athletes will most certainly be missed.
Just has decided to leave coaching to focus on her law enforcement career. Clara served eight years in the Army Reserves as a public affairs specialist, covering deploying units and other major stories across the country and has earned a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice along with a Law Enforcement Certificate. This fall she will take the POST (Police Officer Standards and Trainings) exam and hopes to be employed with a western metro department, possibly Minnetonka.
Prior to her arrival at Blake, Coach Just was an assistant coach at her alma mater, White Bear Lake for four years. As a prep-star Just was an All-State catcher for WBL in 1995 and a part of the 1994 state consolation championship team.
"Coach Just has been an outstanding addition to our school and our softball program. She has brought stability and notoriety to the sport and has earned the respect of coaches, players, and parents throughout the community. We all wish Clara success in her new venture in law enforcement and hope that she will still keep us in her heart," remarks Athletic Director Rollie Johnson.
Clara Just laments, "I have cherished the opportunity to work with so many talented student-athletes at Blake over the past five years. The whole athletic department does a first class job of working with all of the parents, coaches, and fans that make softball successful each spring. I will miss being a piece of the softball puzzle at Blake."
Under Just's tutelage Blake compiled an overall record of 48-48. In 2006, the Bears had their best conference finish in ten years, winning the Tri-Metro Conference, West Division Championship while amassing an 11-3 conference and 12-7 overall record.
"I am proud of all of the players that have come through this program under my tenure. We have proven that it is possible to utilize the talent of a middle school athlete on a varsity squad and effectively help them grow as a person and an athlete. With the addition of this year's all state players, we have had four players in the past three years make the All-State team, including two players who started on the varsity as eighth graders," reports Coach Just.
Coach Just, we wish you our best. Thank you for your dedication to our athletes, program, and school.
|
|
