Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Basketball head coach Mandy Botham and Kings Soccer head coach Gerald Grobmeier. (Supplied)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Queens Basketball / Kings Soccer

Botham and Grobmeier resign from their Red Deer Polytechnic coaching positions

Dec 20, 2021 | 3:51 PM

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Queens Basketball head coach Mandy Botham and Kings Soccer head coach Gerald Grobmeier have resigned from their coaching positions.

School officials add, however, that both will remain in their roles until Dec. 31.

Botham began as the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Basketball head coach in 2019/2020 and helped guide the squad to a 10-11 record, improving seven wins from the previous season (3-18). Officials note the team showed vast improvement and just missed a berth in the playoffs two years ago.

“Since Mandy was hired in May 2019, she has been dedicated to building a competitive Queens Basketball program. Through her hard work and expertise, the team has climbed the standings, from eighth in 2018/2019 to fifth in 2019/2020,” says Randy Stewart, Red Deer Polytechnic Manager, Athletics and Student Life.

“She has inspired the student-athletes to reach for excellence in the classroom and the Queens had the top team GPA among all of the Polytechnic’s teams in 2020/2021. Mandy has also helped the student-athletes navigate through some significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to thank Mandy for her enthusiastic commitment to the student-athletes, Queens Basketball, and Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics, and I wish her all the best in the future,” added Stewart.

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After six games, the Queens (3-3) are fourth in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) South Division this season.

Gerald Grobmeier, Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Soccer head coach, is also said to have made a positive impact with the soccer program.

He began as an assistant coach with the Kings in 2018 and continued as a member of the coaching staff during the 2019/2020 season, when the Kings earned ACAC silver and finished sixth at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championship. The trip to nationals was the first in the program’s history.

“Gerald has done an excellent job with the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings. Through effective recruiting, retention, and coaching, he has built the Kings into one of the most competitive programs in the entire league,” says Stewart.

“This past season, Gerald led the Kings to a second place regular season finish in the competitive south division and then to ACAC bronze. He also encouraged the student-athletes to give back to the community, which was evident in the Kings and Queens soccer players volunteering their time at the Central Alberta Humane Society. I am appreciative of Gerald’s dedication and I wish him well.”

RDP Athletics officials say the search for an interim Queens Basketball head coach has been underway with the hope to have the position filled by the start of Winter 2022 Term.

Over the next few months, the search for a new Kings Soccer head coach will begin.

Mahziar Peyrow remains the Red Deer Polytechnic Soccer general manager and Queens head coach, and will serve as the interim Kings head coach, until a suitable replacement is found.

For more information on Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics, the student-athletes and teams, please visit: rdcathletics.ca.