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Phoenix Desert Vista girls basketball coach Erin O’Bryan has stepped down from the program, she confirmed to The Arizona Republic in a phone call.
O'Bryan said she is pursuing an opportunity at the collegiate level. She originally stepped down on April 21.
“I think it’s just time for me to move on to coach in college,” O'Bryan said. “I feel like I fulfilled my purpose at the high school level. I have desires to coach at the next level. Now is the time.”
O'Bryan is in the process of finding her next destination, but was unable to comment on where it will be as paperwork is still being filled out. She still has to fulfill her contract with Hoop Code, one of the area’s top club basketball programs, until July.
O'Bryan was hired in 2023 after former coach Dave Williams stepped down to pursue a position at the next level. Williams ultimately ended up at Tempe McClintock. O’Bryan took over the season following Desert Vista winning the inaugural Open Division state championship.
During her time with the Thunder, O'Bryan led the team to a 48-38 record in three seasons, with one Open championship game appearance and an Open semifinal appearance.
O'Bryan leaves a team with one of the top recruits in the state and the nation in freshman Kolbi Brooks, who already has numerous Division I offers.
“That’s what I said to the girls — there’s never a good time to leave,” O'Bryan said. “There’s always someone. Oh, ‘I want to stay for player X to graduate. Then next year, there’s going to be another player that I want to see graduate.’ There’s never a good time to leave, especially at Desert Vista. There’s never a lull. It was tough to leave all of them.”
O’Bryan, a former prep standout at Gilbert Highland who was the Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year in 2003, said she is grateful for her time spent at Desert Vista as she gets ready to head to the college level.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have this opportunity if it weren’t for those players and the school,” O'Bryan said. “They’re super supportive, they understood completely why I want to move on. They were happy. They said, ‘Door is always open.’ If I don’t enjoy what I’m doing at the next level, maybe I can come back. It was great to be in a place where girls basketball felt like a priority.”
Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, college and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at [email protected] or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Desert Vista girls basketball coach Erin O'Bryan steps down
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O'Bryan said she is pursuing an opportunity at the collegiate level. She originally stepped down on April 21.
“I think it’s just time for me to move on to coach in college,” O'Bryan said. “I feel like I fulfilled my purpose at the high school level. I have desires to coach at the next level. Now is the time.”
O'Bryan is in the process of finding her next destination, but was unable to comment on where it will be as paperwork is still being filled out. She still has to fulfill her contract with Hoop Code, one of the area’s top club basketball programs, until July.
O'Bryan was hired in 2023 after former coach Dave Williams stepped down to pursue a position at the next level. Williams ultimately ended up at Tempe McClintock. O’Bryan took over the season following Desert Vista winning the inaugural Open Division state championship.
During her time with the Thunder, O'Bryan led the team to a 48-38 record in three seasons, with one Open championship game appearance and an Open semifinal appearance.
O'Bryan leaves a team with one of the top recruits in the state and the nation in freshman Kolbi Brooks, who already has numerous Division I offers.
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“That’s what I said to the girls — there’s never a good time to leave,” O'Bryan said. “There’s always someone. Oh, ‘I want to stay for player X to graduate. Then next year, there’s going to be another player that I want to see graduate.’ There’s never a good time to leave, especially at Desert Vista. There’s never a lull. It was tough to leave all of them.”
O’Bryan, a former prep standout at Gilbert Highland who was the Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year in 2003, said she is grateful for her time spent at Desert Vista as she gets ready to head to the college level.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have this opportunity if it weren’t for those players and the school,” O'Bryan said. “They’re super supportive, they understood completely why I want to move on. They were happy. They said, ‘Door is always open.’ If I don’t enjoy what I’m doing at the next level, maybe I can come back. It was great to be in a place where girls basketball felt like a priority.”
Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, college and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at [email protected] or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Desert Vista girls basketball coach Erin O'Bryan steps down
Continue reading...
