Daviess County High School has recently seen a rotating door in its coaching staff, with Josh Bratcher, Catherine Steele, and Jack Etchison stepping down. Bratcher was the boys’ and girls’ XC coach and the boys’ Track coach, Steele coached girls’ Track, and Etchison coached boys’ and girls’ Tennis.
In their stead are Mark Rowe, Les Orlow, Bob O’Brien, and Dylan McDuffee.
Rowe is taking over as the boys’ XC coach, bringing 13 years of head coaching experience. A former Panthers athlete, this isn’t the first time he’s coached at Daviess County, having run the track team from 2015-2017.
“I am super excited for the opportunity,” Rowe said. “Daviess County is home to me having run their from the fall of 1996 through the spring of 2001.”
During his time running for Daviess County, the cross country team won a state title, finished runner-up three times, and placed third once. Rowe is pleased with the team’s current situation and is looking forward to helping them win another state title.
“It’s not a rebuild. Nothing is broke and there is nothing that needs fixing,” Rowe said. “It is a matter of putting in the work and getting the kids to believe in what we are doing.”
Hailing from Illinois, Orlow takes over as the new girls’ XC coach – bringing 28 years of experience. Since arriving in Kentucky, he spent time coaching at Muhlenberg County High School.
“My first goal is to have fun with the kids and be a teacher first,” Orlow said. “Teach team building, how to prepare well in the sport, and have fun doing it… As a coach, I am trying to be a teacher first and bring some things in that teach the kids. Naturally, it is one of the hardest sports out there so first thing we need to do is learn the sport.”
The new Track coach, Bob O’Brien brings 33 years of coaching experience to Daviess County – 28 of which he spent at Owensboro. After spending the last three years retired, O’Brien was ready for a new chapter in his coaching career.
“I want to bring a tough mental mindset,” O’Brien said. “To be confident, kind, and a quality person. I want to bring very fierce competitors with very strong human qualities and standards.”
He’s coached three Elementary School State Championship teams, four Middle School State Championship teams, and two High School National Champions. One of O’Brien’s objectives is to get his new team to believe in the program.
“If they see that I have confidence in myself and know what I am doing, that will be the easiest thing,” O’Brien said. “Just me being who I am, they will have confidence in the work I am doing. We are going to work hard and have a great time.”
Dylan McDuffie returns to his alma mater as the new Tennis coach. McDuffee played for Daviess County from when he was in fifth grade up until his high school graduation in 2019. He now gets the chance to coach his younger brother who is on the roster.
“It means the world to me that they will consider me coming back,” McDuffee said. “I am also the head pro over at Merchant Center Court and I know all of the kids that will be trying out for the team because I give them lessons, or they do our clinics. To be able to continue relationships with them and make them better student-athletes as a whole is a very unique and awesome opportunity.”
The assistant coach last year, McDuffee is also familiar with the current roster and wants to get the team to buy in as a whole to the idea that they can overcome adversity.
