Robert Maw, Carson High’s head track and field coach the past 10 years, has resigned his position.
Maw, who also coaches the CHS volleyball team, said the main reason he’s stepping down is to spend more time with his youngest son, Ryan, who moved to San Diego to pursue a dancing career.
The younger Maw, a four-time national champion in tap dancing, spends much of the winter and spring traveling around the United States for competitions.
Most of the track meets are held on weekends, and the elder Maw indicated he wants to be free on weekends to travel and watch his son compete.
“I feel bad when I can’t be around my jumpers, and I feel bad when I’m not with my son,” Maw said. “Angie (Maw’s wife) has done most of the traveling with him.”
Blair Roman, Carson High athletic director, said Maw will be missed.
“Robert has been a head coach for two sports for a long time, and that’s a testament to his dedication to kids and Carson High School,” Roman said. “He has done a great job as a track coach, and we’re fortunate he is staying on as volleyball coach.”
Maw said he would continue to coach jumpers during the week if the incoming head coach wanted his services.
Abbey Paulson and Erica Basa will return next year on the girls’ side, and Maw is close to the pair because they’re also in the volleyball program.
“I spend two-thirds of the school year with them (between volleyball and track),” Maw said. “It’s hard to walk away from that.”
Jumpers under Maw’s tutelage have had some success.
Asa Carter medaled in both jumping events two years ago.
“Every year except one I’ve had a jumper make state,” Maw said. “The only year I didn’t was when Alex Fallon injured her knee and didn’t go.”
Fallon was a 36-foot jumper, and a serious contender to medal.
Maw has been a driving force in getting the Jim Frank Track & Field Complex as the main regional site and state site every other year.
The outgoing coach said he doesn’t anticipate that changing.
“I told coach (Blair) Roman that I would help with those (big) meets as long as the incoming staff accepts the challenge going forward,” Maw said. “There is a lot that goes into hosting meets like that (regional and state).
“I’ve been fortunate over the years to have great (veteran) assistants like Jim and Julie Reid and Mike Louisiana.”
Steve Nelms, Sean Lehmann, and Steve Pradere have come aboard in recent years. Ann Britt, a former assistant, came out and helped this year.
Nelms has expressed interest in applying for the head job. He’s presently on the varsity football coaching staff.
“Not enough people realize how integral he has been at the state track meets we’ve hosted,” Roman said. “Even running the regional meet (a few weeks ago) was a big undertaking; was as big as a state meet.
“He has these things wired. He does a great job. He has had a huge impact on track in Northern Nevada and the state. Hopefully he can find somebody to (eventually) take the reins, because you can’t do it forever.”
Maw said he has a lot of great memories from his 10-year run at CHS, but one that sticks out happened in his first year.
“Caleb Carter was competing against Duke Williams (from Hug) and two other jumpers at regionals,” Maw said. “Caleb popped a big jump (and eventually qualified). It was cool we were able to steal a spot away. What a way to start your coaching career.”
Maw said he would continue to coach volleyball because his son is doing training in the fall and not competing.
And, there are only two or three weekend tournaments in high school volleyball.
