Marble Falls girls basketball announces new staff members

CAPTION: Marble Falls High School softball coach Alex Lozoya is joining the Lady Mustangs basketball staff. He is coaching the freshmen. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

Familiar faces are joining the Marble Falls High School girls basketball staff.

Softball head coach and cross country assistant coach Alex Lozoya will coach the freshman squad, which means Kaitlyn Goertz will coach the junior varsity and Aspen Howie is the varsity assistant coach.

Howie, who is entering her second year at Marble Falls Independent School District as a teacher and coach, is on Lozoya’s softball staff.

Goertz, who coached the freshmen, has been on the Lady Mustangs’ staff for a number of years.

Lady Mustangs basketball head coach Adley Canales made the announcement.

Howie, who was an eighth-grade coach last year in addition to her softball duties, fills Canales’ old seat on the staff, and he believes she will do for him what he did for former head coach John Berkman, who is now the Mustangs head coach.

“I didn’t want a ‘yes’ coach,” Canales said. “I didn’t want somebody who would agree with me all the time. I felt like coach Berkman and I had that relationship pretty good. I wanted somebody who was going to hold me accountable.”

Howie played basketball at Lake Travis High School for Patrick Hinson, who is now the Marble Falls High School principal.

“He spoke highly of her,” Canales said.

He has watched Howie interact with her players, how she corrects them and challenges them to be their best. She encourages them when they’ve done well and implores them to do better when an error is made. Those interactions, Canales said, are other reasons why he offered her a spot on his staff.

“You could see how she was with the kids and how it worked. It’s something we hope to carry over to the varsity.”

He noted Lozoya’s experience as a head coach and his rapport with the players and knowledge of the sport made him the right individual to add to the staff.

“He’s coached basketball before,” the head coach said. “He has basketball experience, which is always exciting. I get somebody who’s done it before, and it helps the program.”

Because of Lozoya’s head coaching experience, Canales said he’s confident that when he and the varsity are away for a tournament, the subvarsity players will get the proper instruction. That way every second is productive.

“I trust him to be able to lead practices and teams,” Canales said. “He’s not somebody who’s completely new. He’s a good fit.”

Fit was a reason why Goertz taking over the junior varsity also was the right move, he added. Goertz is able to mentor the underclassmen and help them build the skills they have so they can be successful in the sport. In addition, she assists them in navigating all things that are new: practice schedule, campus and learning how to be varsity players.

“The girls love her,” Canales said. “She does a great job building confidence. Working with the JV, she’s able to do that. She gets developing players and developing confidence and getting them ready.”

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