Mason takes over Cedarville on what he hopes is a two-year stint. He hopes a suitable replacement is found during that span.
“I want someone who is going to share that passion and enthusiasm and, quite honestly, who has younger legs than me,” Mason said. “This is a young man’s game and I’m not a young man anymore. I want someone with that drive, enthusiasm and vigor and who will treat girls athletics the same way they treat boys athletics.”
Mason said several coaching candidates were offered the job during the summer but “we were unsuccessful” in completing the hiring process. Mason was approved in mid-July.
With no coach the Indians missed summer leagues and team camps. Still, Mason is optimistic. Junior guard Hannah Grant and sophomore post Hailey Melton are key returning players for the Indians, who went 8-14 last season.
Mason went 67-29 coaching the Northwestern girls in the late 1990s, including a Division III regional final appearance in 2000. He also served as an assistant with the late Pam Evans Smith at Wittenberg University.
Mason wasn’t looking to get back into coaching until the need at Cedarville.
“I agreed to take it on knowing full well this was not going to be a long-term stint for me,” Mason said. “I don’t want the students to have constant turnover, either. I didn’t necessarily want to do it for one year but I knew long term this is not the best solution.
“This is what we’re going to for right now. … I did not have a deep, burning desire to say I want to coach again so let’s hire myself. That’s not what this was. We were looking for a head coach and we had certain things in mind we were looking for. We just didn’t find a candidate who was willing to accept the position that met the criteria. I want someone who is really going to build this program and take it to where my heart is.”
Cedarville is 1-1 following Monday’s 43-34 win against Xenia Christian.
Assisting Mason this season is junior varsity coach Maggie Bonardi and Mason’s nephew and volunteer coach Josh Mason, who drives up from Cincinnati to help. Both could be considered, among others, for the head coaching position.
“That is definitely an option. It could be a long-term job interview,” Mason said. “Nobody is guaranteed anything.”
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