It’s a rarity to see a female head coach on the Junior Jay sidelines — let alone two. But math teachers Ms. Anne Hefflinger and Ms. Katie Hermanek are doing just that as the new head coaches of the sophomore soccer team.

And they’re definitely qualified for the job. Although vastly unknown to newcomers at the school, Hermanek was the head coach of the freshman and sophomore teams for a decade.

“I coached for ten years, took three off, and now I’m back at it,” Hermanek said.

Hefflinger coached in California for ten years, and is excited to finally be coaching at Prep.

“I coached out in California for ten years, and now I’m coaching here,” Hefflinger said.

The duo expects to be treated like any other coach and believes the Prep sports community accepts them.

“We are just another coach,” Hefflinger said.

Hefflinger and Hermanek don’t want excessive praise just yet. They’re completely focused on developing their players and taking things day-by-day in preparing them for success during their upperclassman years.

According to the co-head coaches, the players are meeting all expectations with this mindset.

They are two of the few female head coaches in Prep sports history, and they have the chance inspiring similar positions in the near future. But that doesn’t have an effect on them — they just want to coach.

“It’s not that we do or don’t (want to build a legacy of female coaches at Prep),” Hermanek said. “It’s more just who’s available and who’s interested and willing to take on the time and the challenge.”