Shortly after winter break, Justin Hadlock joined Skyline’s faculty as a new math teacher and women’s basketball coach all in one. Replacing long-standing math teacher Kathryn Bares who left to join the Utah State Board of Education, Hadlock joined Skyline January 3, so as students came back from a long break, Hadlock found himself coming back to a new job.

This abrupt new change in teachers will take some getting used to for students, but so far the change is positive. “I think that he is a good teacher, because he is very patient and good at explaining things,” says Norah Pearce. As a student, she says, “It will affect me because I am not used to his way of teaching and grading but I will have to get used to it.” She enjoys understanding what she is learning and working on new assignments, and so far this new change in teachers has allowed her to do that. 

Along with these new changes rippling through Skyline’s Math Department, the addition of Hadlock has also made its impact in Skyline’s athletics. As a teacher as well as a coach, Hadlock has a constant focus on growth with his players. He says, “I think the big thing is to give them places on the team where they can be successful, and I think when they find something successful. They’re motivated to work harder and find more success so it’s really about finding roles within the team where they can use the skill sets they have and then kind of grow from there.”

With thirteen years of coaching basketball under his belt, Hadlock has more than picked up the game. Playing since he was a kid, he knows the game inside and out, while also  supporting his current career as the Skyline Womens’ Basketball coach. “I think…over the years you just learn the game really well, and just try and gain the experience to help them wherever you can, and learn just all the little tricks to help teach them to hopefully they can get better,” Hadlock explained.

One player on the basketball team, Khloe Grace Hanneman, said that as this is her first year playing basketball, she feels that having a coach that is confident in her and every player on the team is very important. So far, she feels that the new change is positive and is looking forward to continuing the season with Hadlock. “This will affect us positively because he is a nice coach and competitive,” says Hanneman. 

However, this growth isn’t necessarily coming along with new changes to this locally

loved team. When asked about these potential new adjustments he would want to make to the team, Hadlock said, “We can always get better. Hopefully, we can grow and make a run in the playoffs this year so I don’t know if there’s major changes. It’s just more little things here and there to try and be more competitive…”