Tencleve leaving Decatur
Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2008
DECATUR ó Andrew Tencleve had been looking for an opportunity to get closer to home, and the former Decatur boys basketball and softball coach found one in Cedarville.
Tencleve resigned his Decatur positions June 16 to accept the same coaching responsibilities at Cedarville.
ì It was a good opportunity, î Tencleve said. ì We had been wanting to get closer to home. Both mine and my wifeís parents live down in the River Valley.
ì Itís always difficult to leave. That was my first head coaching job and you get attached to the kids and the people in the community. Itís tough to leave. But I had to do what was in the best interest of my family at this time. î
Tencleve, 28, said Decatur second-year girls coach Dan Garringer will coach both basketball programs. Because of the financial situation in the school district ó the district accounts are frozen as part of an investigation by the Arkansas Department of Education and a special audit by the Arkansas Joint Legislative Committee ó Decatur would likely not be able to hire a new coach. But the school had already asked Garringer if he could coach both teams if Tencleve left.
ì They asked him if heís be interested in doing it, if I were to leave, î Tencleve said. ì We were wanting to get back closer to home for a while, especially with the birth of my son (in 2007 ). I had been looking and they knew I was looking. î
Tencleve, who had a 28-69 record in four years with the Bulldogs, had interest in the Cedarville vacancy before he came to Decatur.
It didnít work out that time but Tencleve told Cedarville administrators he would be interested if the job ever came open again.
Pirates coach Don Fiser left the school this summer to coach at Darby Junior High in Fort Smith.
ì (Cedarville administrators ) called me about two weeks ago and told me he was going, î Tencleve said. ì We had some dialogue back and forth and they offered me the job... and I took it. î
Tencleveís new team will be joining a new conference next season. The Pirates join the new-look 1-3 A with Green Forest, Greenland, Elkins, Lincoln and Mountainburg.
Decatur played Cedarville in a benefit game this past season so Tencleve is familiar with the Pirates.
ì The cupboardís not bare, î he said of his new team. ì I wonít see the kids until after the dead period. They have a talented junior high group. It seems like a good situation. î
Tencleve, hired in July 2004 to replace Charlie Clark, said he learned a lot during his first head coaching job.
ì Thereís only one way to learn and thatís on the job, î he said. ì You learn patience and learn that some of the stuff that you thought would work when you get into it does and some of it doesnít. I had a good time there. î
Tencleve, who was a volunteer assistant at Pottsville for two years before coming to Decatur, led the Bulldogs to their first winning season ó at 13-12 ó in 13 years in 2007 before going 12-15 this past season.
Tencleve, a graduate of Subiaco Academy and Arkansas Tech, comes from a coaching family. His uncle, Tim Tencleve, built a strong program at Subiaco Academy and his father-in-law, John Parrish, coaches at Ozark.
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