The Talawanda Board of Education named new head football and boys basketball coaches for the high school teams during the school board meeting Monday.

Jay Volker, former assistant coach at Kings High School, is the new head football coach for the Talawanda Brave. Scott Davie, a Talawanda counselor, who has coached the girls’ golf and softball programs, was named coach of the boys’ basketball team.

Volker served as the strength and conditioning coach and defensive coordinator at Kings High School. He has also worked as an assistant coach at Moeller High School and La Salle High School. At La Salle, he was a co-defensive coordinator of two Division II state championship teams in 2015 and 2016. Volker was also an assistant at Georgia State University, where he coached outside linebackers for two seasons, according to his resume.

He succeeds Larry Cox at Talawanda. Cox resigned in February to take the head coaching job at Franklin High School. Talawanda had an overall record of 3-5 last season, while Kings, in Warren County, went 7-1.

Volker told the Oxford Observer that he spoke to Cox after getting the Talawanda job.  

“He was very positive about the whole thing,” Volker said. “Cox told me if I had any questions about the program or even questions about the kids, he would make himself available allowing me to contact him.” 

Volker is a 2008 graduate of Elder High School in Cincinnati and a 2012 graduate of Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. In addition to coaching, he taught principles of biomed at Kings.

Volker said being a head coach has always been one of his goals.

“I’m a teacher and I enjoy it but that’s not where my passion lies,“ he said. “ I think I can lead these student-athletes in the right direction and my passion is helping these groups of kids.”

Volker promises to “push the edge” within Talawanda’s football team. He said he wants the program to be exciting for fans, players and coaches. During the pandemic, Volker promises that players will be following COVID-19 protocols, including working out with masks in the weight room. Protocols for players and coaches to follow during outside practice sessions are still in development.

“It’s not about me, I don’t coach because of the accolades,” Volker said. “I want to see these young men succeed. When they leave Talawanda I hope they’re all successful.”

Davie has nine years of experience as a boys basketball coach in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Indiana before coming to Ohio, including four years as a head coach. Davie, who has been at Talawanda since 2015, succeeds Jake Turner, who stepped down in March.