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Field Hockey Coach
 Darlene
Wells
Head Coach
21-14-0
3rd Season
[Email
Coach Wells]
Darlene Wells
has been named the head coach of the Houghton College
field hockey program, Houghton athletics director Skip
Lord announced in February
Wells, a 1975 Houghton
graduate, returns to her alma mater after a highly
successful career as a coach, administrator, and
physical educator on the high school level in New York
and Florida.
In addition to her
Houghton coaching responsibilities, Wells will provide
guidance to area coaches and athletic directors as the
Allegany County Director for Fellowship of Christian
Athletes.
“We are excited that
Darlene has decided to join the Houghton athletic
department and lead our field hockey program,” said
Lord. “She has broad experience in coaching multiple
sports and as a physical educator and administrator, but
most importantly, she has tangible, practical experience
in sports ministry. She will fit in well with the goals
and mission of our department.”
For the past eight years,
Wells has been a coach and teacher at Loudonville
Christian School near Albany. She led the volleyball
program to a 101-45 mark, one league title, and one
sectional title. Her softball team has gone 70-37 during
that span.
Wells spent more than 20
years at North Florida Christian School in
Tallahassee, Florida, where she coached both
volleyball and softball. She led the softball program to
a 358-126 record, eight district titles, six regional
titles, four sectional titles, four state final four
appearances and four state runner-up finishes. As a
volleyball coach, Wells guided her squad to a 324-174
record, including five district titles and four regional
titles.
She is a five-time winner
of the Florida Athletic Coaches Association District 4
Softball Coach of the Year award and a two-time winner
of the FACA State Fast Pitch Softball Coach of the Year
award.
Though Wells does not
have field hockey coaching experience, Lord says her
background in a variety of sports will transfer well to
learning and teaching the sport. “She is a coach by
profession. She is trained as a physical educator. She
knows what is needed to pick up the nuts and bolts of a
specific sport,” said Lord. “Her experience as an
administrator will play well into working with other
independent and NAIA field hockey programs to pursue
possible post-season opportunities and gain recognition
for our student-athletes.”
Her experience as a high
school coach gives her a unique view into the recruiting
process and will assist her in that part of the job,
said Lord. “She knows well what high school players and
parents are looking for on the next level,” he added.
Wells has remained
connected with the Houghton athletic department
throughout the years. She has regularly returned to work
at Houghton’s summer volleyball and basketball camps.
These experiences, and through her work as a director at
other camps, has Lord excited about the possibility of
Houghton hosting a field hockey camp in the future.
“After 30 years of
teaching, I felt the Lord moving me in this direction,”
said Wells. “I’m looking forward to working with a more
mature student-athlete, who brings more focus,
intensity, and also spiritual depth. Though I’ve enjoyed
teaching, I’m excited to move into a position with a
focus on coaching. It will be a challenge. It’s a whole
new experience.”
Wells was a
two-sport varsity standout in volleyball and basketball
at Houghton College and also participated in the club
softball program. She was a four-year letter winner in
basketball and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player
in her senior year. She also lettered for four years in volleyball and
was named to the Private College Athletic Conference
All-Conference Team as a senior.
Wells was
honored by her peers when she was presented with the
Houghton College Senate Excellence in Athletics Award
and by the Athletic Department when she received the
highest award presented to a student-athlete: the
Houghton College Sportsmanship Award.
She was
inducted into the Houghton Athletics Hall of Honor in
1998.
She received
her master’s degree in education from Alfred University
in 1979.
Wells is the ninth head
coach since the program began intercollegiate
competition in 1975. Her father, George, was the
program’s first coach, leading the team for 12 seasons.
Wells takes over the
coaching responsibilities from Briana Burghardt, who served as interim coach
last fall, guiding the team to an 11-4 record.
“We are thankful for the
job Briana did in the fall,” said Lord. “Even as a young recent
graduate, she was willing to step in and help us out.
Her record speaks for itself. We wish her the best as
she moves on and looks for a position that will allow
her to pursue her career in elementary education.”
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