Steve Nelms named Carson High track coach

Steve Nelms, an assistant coach on the Carson High football team, has been named the school’s new head track coach.

Nelms, 26, replaces Robert Maw, who stepped down after last season. Nelms ran track and played football at Elko High and University of Jamestown.

Nelms currently teaches physical education at Carson Middle School. He said he’s looking forward to his new opportunity. He coached track at Spring Creek High School for two years.

“I’m excited,” Nelms said recently. “This is a great opportunity for me to build on what coach (Robert) Maw started. Track has been a big part of my life. I have a great passion for it. It is a sport where everybody can have success because you are running against the clock and trying to get better.

“It was hard to get my foot in the door (in the Elko area). I felt like this was a bigger market (Carson and Reno area). I could start fresh.”

Blair Roman, CHS athletic director, is happy to have him aboard.

“Steve is an outstanding young coach who is wise beyond his years,” said Roman. “He has a good perspective on track and how to keep the program competitive like it’s been, and he’ll put his own tweaks on the program.”

Nelms said his first order of business is to hire a staff. Budgeting becomes an issue, however. The district has just five paid positions, and you need a couple of more assistants on top of that to cover the multitude of events.

“I think we had eight to 10 people helping last year,” Nelms said. “The first thing I have to do is talk to people who were on the staff last year and see if they are interested in coming back. Coach Maw said he would be involved in helping run the meets from upstairs. I’ve told him that I would love to have him continue to coach jumps.

“We have about 130 kids and five coaches. It isn’t enough 1-on-1 time. I know Ann (Britt, part-time assistant) has some great ideas for that. I’d like to raise enough money that we cannot only participate in all the meets I want, but to be able to pay everybody that helps coach.”

Nelms said he’s starting to work on the schedule. Carson is hosting six or seven meets this year, including the regional and state events. He said getting parent and/or community volunteers is critical to the success of hosting meets.

Nelms said he would love to get moved over to the high school. Veteran basketball coach Carlos Mendeguia is retiring after the 2018-19 school year, and that would open up a physical education position.

Roman also said he has let the district know he’d like Nelms at CHS, but he also pointed out that’s a personnel decision. Roman did indicate the importance of having varsity head coaches on campus whenever possible. Save for soccer, which has mostly attracted off-campus people, Carson has done a good job of having varsity head coaches on its faculty.