Stange accepts new athletic post in sprawling Missouri school district

By James Teeter

As Randy Stange leaves Hutchison Community College this summer and moves on into the next phase of his career, he will be leaving behind a proud legacy at HCC.

Randy has done a lot while being here at HCC.

For the last 18 years Stange has brought HCC sports programs to high levels of success, both in developing the characters of the young athletes and also in building winning dynasties in a number of sports.

This has occurred in both men’s and women’s programs.

Now he looks ahead, to his athletic director’s post for a large school district in Springfield, Missouri.

Stange is still learning about what his greatest challenges will be in Springfield.

“From what I have heard from the people that I have talked to, facilities will be the biggest thing,” he said.

“The football fields are well taken care of. I think that my biggest thing that I will have a lot of work to do will be with the basketball gyms. There is some major work to be done there.”

And then there are always big tournaments that will need to be organized by the district’s athletic director.

“One of the biggest tournaments, that I will have a lot of fun to take part in, will be the Bass Pro Basketball Tournament that occurs in January.”

The Bass Pro fishing equipment company, with its headquarters in Springfield, has been a loyal sponsor of the high school tournament there, Stange said.

“Bass Pro has sponsored this tournament for as long as I know and it has been successful for many years,” he said.

Springfield is a big city that has many high schools. As athletic director, Stange will be overseeing coaches and sports programs in a large area.

“ I will only be over five high schools,” he said. “They are Glendale, Kickapoo, Parkview, Central and Hillcrest.”

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