By Sirderick Farley

Oak Hall’s varsity girls’ basketball team has turned over a new leaf. After more than two decades, head coach Eric Ringdahl retired from coaching the team after last season. Ringdahl coached from 1992-2023 and led the Eagles to 11 District Titles, two Region Final appearances, one Region Championship (2002), and one Final Four appearance (2002).

Taking over the reins is the former Eagles varsity girls’ basketball assistant coach Barry Hutchinson. Before coming to Oak Hall, Hutchinson was the coach of numerous teams at Hawthorne High School. Hutchinson is most excited about “being able to be a positive leader to this team and help build positive chemistry,” he said. To get a jump start on the season, Hutchinson and the players are already conditioning and enjoying team bonding activities.

“This is a really good group of girls that I enjoy coaching and have a lot of respect for, and I believe that they respect me and everything else is mutual,” the new head coach said. Oak Hall junior Lunden Warmack appreciates her new coach’s patience and understanding. “The team is ready to use the skills [we’ve] been working on and transfer them onto the court and be the most successful we have ever been,” she said.

While the success is achievable, Hutchinson wants his players to learn more from him than just playing the game. “[I want them to know] that they can do or be whatever they want to be if they just focus and stay true to the things that brings happiness and success,” he said.