David Evans filled in when the program needed him, but the Wright City athletic director and first-year boys head basketball coach hopes to return to a singular role next school year.

After failing to find a replacement for former Head Coach Ken Brown over the summer, Evans led the varsity team to a 12-13 record this season.

He quickly learned that basketball knowledge doesn’t always equate to varsity coaching experience.

“Trying to learn the plays and the style these kids could play was challenging at times,” he said. “There’s a difference between knowing quite a bit about basketball and knowing what to run at the right times. There were situations where we probably played the wrong defense for a little too long. A few times we played a great zone defense for a few games, and then we’d come out and be awful at it. But the kids were a great group of kids to work with, so there was less pressure on my part.”

After the Wildcats were eliminated from the Class 3, District 7 Tournament last month, Evans posted the job opening online.

But with the caveat that a new coach would likely need to be a teacher in the Wright City district as well, Evans realized finding the right replacement could be a challenge.

“I’m not opposed to doing it again,” he said, “but with the conflict between coaching and my current position, I’d like to get someone else in here.”

His biggest reason is time.

Right now he says he doesn’t have as much as the head coach needs.

“Somebody needs to be able to dedicate the time and start from the ground up with our elementary programs, and someone who has the fall open who can work with those kids with clinics and things like that,” he said. “When Coach (Greg) Williams at Warrenton came in, that’s what he did. He’s up there all the time, and you see the change in the girls. He works with the high school girls, as well as the younger girls, and that’s what I’d like to get here for both of our teams.”

So while Evans prepares to coach again next season if needed, he’d much prefer to watch games from his old vantage point as a fan while continuing to run the athletic department.

“In my roles, it’s hard to dedicate enough time to get all of those things going,” he said. “I’d like to bring somebody in, and I think both girls and boys coaches can work together and really get things going. And if that happens, I’d be able to focus more on being an A.D. and a parent, because I missed my kids this winter.”