Carly Demarchena
Boys Water Polo Coach
Teaches Algebra 1 & 2
Why did you decide to coach for a team at Aragon?
I started coaching just generally, not at Aragon. I was able to interact with teenagers where they needed help and continued coaching specifically for Aragon. I like to be part of the Aragon community in different ways, and I liked to see kids inside and out of class.
Does teaching and coaching students change how you interact with each other?
Yeah, I think they get to see me in a different light outside of the math class. The same is true for me, I get to see them in a completely different way. How they behave in class could be totally different from when they play, so it’s fun to see all sides of everyone.
How do you balance your time between coaching, teaching, or other personal matters?
I would say finding a balance is very hard. It’s kind of accepting that while I’m coaching [I] have to scourge all my free time. And knowing when to stop and when to continue, like when I’m not coaching to not let it consume that much of my time.
Michael Flynn
Girls Soccer Coach
Teaches Physical Education
Did you play soccer?
I did. I was a three-sport athlete in high school. I ran cross country, I played soccer, and I was on the ski team — I grew up in a mountain resort. Then I continued to play soccer in college.
Have you coached before? Was it ever a full time job?
I started coaching here at Aragon in 1996; I coached here until 1997-98. I left to go to Crystal Springs to be the athletic director and soccer coach there. I was there for nine years, and now I’m back at Aragon. So I want to say this is my 23rd year coaching high school girls’ soccer. Longer than you [students] have been alive.
As both a teacher and a coach, do you think you are able to interact better with students?
Absolutely, I think it’s a big part of it. I think [I] build a tighter bond or better relationship with players since I see them on campus. I can check in on them. If they’re injured I can go see our trainer and find out what’s going on with them. So I think you just have a very vested interest in the player themselves. It’s not just that they play soccer for me, but they’re also a student here, and you want see them succeed in all facets of their school life. Being able to see them on a daily basis, whether it’s in season or out of season, I think it has a bigger impact on the program, and I feel that it makes us a tighter family.
Katie Ward
Boys Basketball Scorekeeper
Teaches AP Biology & Biotechnology
Did you play sports, for example basketball?
I played basketball in high school a long, long, long time ago. I played volleyball [and] basketball. I did track and field in high school, [and] I was a track and field athlete in college. I was always involved in sports.
Have you coached before?
At Aragon, I coached maybe one year, but I was a track and field coach for seven years at Half Moon Bay High School. So not the head coach — I was an event coach, so I coached the girls shot put and discus.
What do you do at basketball games?
As far as score keeping concerns, there’s what’s called the official book or the home book, so if Aragon is playing at home, my book is the official book. If I’m at an away game, I’m the unofficial book. Basically, the book is the official record of the game. I keep track of the running point total. Every time [a point] is scored, we also identify which player scored the point. I keep track of fouls, possessions [and] time outs, because all of these things can get crucial when your towards the end of the game, and its close and coaches are disputing how many timeouts they have left.
