ASHLAND — When football coach Scott Valentine announced earlier this month he was resigning to spend more time with his family, Ashland High School didn’t have much time to launch a search for his replacement.
As it turns out, the Arrows didn’t have to look far to replace Valentine, the most successful coach in the program’s history.
Assistant coach Sean Seder, 33, has been appointed to replace Valentine on an interim basis, pending school board approval, according to AHS Athletics Director Jason Goings.
Seder has been an assistant varsity coach under Valentine for the past five seasons, coaching the offensive line in 2018.
“It’s a one-year deal at this time,” Goings said Thursday morning. “There is no guarantee of anything longer … though there could be.
“With the timing of (Valentine’s May 6 departure), we didn’t have time to do a larger search. We need to get our summer program going,” Goings said.
The board is expected to approve the hire in June.
If Seder does for the football team what he has done as Ashland’s wrestling team, the “interim” tag will quickly be removed.
Seder has led the Arrows’ wrestling team to four straight Ohio Cardinal Conference titles, three straight J.C. Gorman titles and helped 220-pounder Josh Bever become just the school’s second state champion in March.
The Waynedale High School graduate was previously the offensive coordinator at a Fort Worth, Texas, high school football program for five years.
Seder is expected to continue leading the wrestling team for the 2018-2019 season.
Valentine compiled a 130-60 record in 17 seasons at AHS, winning seven OCC titles and taking 10 teams to the post-season.
