Nature Coast announces new coaches

Sharks first-year athletic director Kristen Peeples announced several new coaching hires at Nature Coast.

Among them, Pete Ruiz has been promoted to varsity head baseball coach. He replaces John Frascatore, who was not retained despite leading the Sharks to the Class 4A playoffs in his only season.

Ruiz becomes the fifth head coach in four seasons.

Peeples also announced Mary Jo Artura will coach boys and girls swimming, and Vivien Tolley will coach varsity cheerleading.

Also of note, Nature Coast has added a varsity bowling team, which will be coached on a voluntary basis by Carrie Piechowicz.

"They wanted to have a bowling team," Peeples said of the players. "It was pushed by parents and students. Carrie took on the responsibility of it as a volunteer. She said she would make it run, fund raise and all those things."

In the face of budget woes, Peeples said the bowling program will essential run itself leaving the school with minimal or no cost. 

Nature Coast already had a successful bowling program with the boys and girls teams reaching the 2007 state final (the boys team won state. But the program ended in Sept. 2008 due to lack of funding.

-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com