Change is the name of the game this year for Piedmont Athletics. With new coaches for girls soccer, boys lacrosse, and the swim team, the upcoming winter and spring seasons are bound to be full of new beginnings.
New girls soccer head coach Matt Spencer-Harty was welcomed this fall by athletic director Tyler Small and a panel of parents and athletes. Spencer-Harty has over 13 years of coaching experience in Vietnam, Thailand, England, Wales and now the United States.
“The biggest thing so far with Matt has been just his communication, his excitement for the program, his desire to continue to push it and to continue for it to grow,” Small said.
Sign ups for the 2025-2026 girls soccer season were up from last year, with some athletes returning to the program after taking a year off. Tryouts were held the week of Nov. 3-7.
Small said he believes the athletes came back because of the shift in coaching.
Last year, the decision was made not to have coach Dan Chubbock return as the head coach of the girls soccer program after 16 years. The athletic department received backlash from athletes, parents, and community members, but stuck by their decision.
“We felt like there needed to be a change in the program. There were just a lot of missed opportunities,” Small said.
Although many disagreed with the decision, some thought it was a necessary change to move the program forward.
“Some people had some mixed feelings about [Chubbock], but I personally liked him,” said a PHS senior girls soccer player.
Varsity soccer player senior Miranda Liu said she believes a little more structure this year will be helpful for the team.
The second coach being welcomed to the athletic department is coach Andy Kittler for boys lacrosse.
Small said Kittler has years of experience playing and coaching lacrosse, having played at Princeton University. Kittler is returning to Piedmont as head coach after taking two years off. He said he has had early success with holding open fields and weight room time for the team pre-season.
“I know he’s very serious about bringing the program back to life, so I’m excited,” said varsity lacrosse player sophomore Lukas Toth.
The decision to hire Kittler came after co-head coaches Paul Pappas and Georgie Brayer decided not to return for another season. The boys lacrosse team starts their 2026 season on Feb. 24 with an away game against Skyline High School.
Along with the two new head coaches, a search for a third continues. The athletic department is in the hiring process for a new swim coach. Much like girls soccer, the hiring process for the new swim coach includes a panel of athletes and parents as well as Small.
“We have one candidate that we’re trying to get an interview with,” Small said.
Over the past four years, the swim program has had three different coaches.
“I think there’s just a big problem with pay. I think that’s why the first coach left, too. It’s because there isn’t enough pay,” senior Nik Costello said.
Costello said he is upset to have a new coach his senior year but has no doubt in the team’s ability.
“Our team is very strong within itself, and it’s just based on whether the coach can get our times in or not,” Costello said.
