Kordes hired as Highlands girls basketball coach

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, April 16, 2018 | 9:45 PM

When Courtney Kordes graduated from Highlands in 2009, she had a goal of coming back to the district as a teacher and coach.

Her mission has been achieved as she teaches third grade at Grandview Upper Elementary and serves as coach of the middle school softball team.

Now, she can add Highlands varsity girls basketball coach to her resume.

The school board unanimously approved her hiring Monday.

“I am very excited to get going with the basketball program,” said Kordes, a Valley News Dispatch all-star and all-section performer during her four varsity seasons as a basketball player with the Golden Rams.

“It's nice to be a teacher in the school district because I can be involved with the kids at school and get to know them. As they get older, I will be familiar with them, and they will know who I am.”

The school district opened the position in February, shortly after the conclusion of the season.

Highlands finished the 2017-18 season 2-18 overall and 2-10 in Section 1-4A.

Former coach Drew Jonczak was 22-43 in three seasons and led the team to the playoffs in 2015-16.

Kordes also was a golfer at Highlands, and she capped her high school career with a 13th-place finish at the PIAA championships.

She continued to golf in college at Penn State but also received offers for basketball from a number of schools, including Division I Akron.

In recent years since graduating from Penn State in 2013, Kordes coached junior high girls basketball at Burrell and was a volunteer varsity assistant from 2013-16.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Highlands