The Anderson Union High School District approved five new athletic hires for West Valley and Anderson high schools.
Josh Johnson, the only new hire for Anderson, was approved as an assistant coach for PJ O’Connell and the Cubs football team. On the West Valley side, the Board approved Billy Soksoda as the girls tennis coach, Eric Poldervaart as an assistant JV football coach, Justin Byxbe as the girls varsity volleyball coach and Lenny Ehn as the head JV football coach.
Over the last few months, members of the AUHSD community voiced their concerns about Byxbe and the process in which he became a candidate for the West Valley volleyball head coach position.
Following the 2025 volleyball season, Melissa Church, West Valley’s most recent volleyball coach, was unexpectedly informed that she would not be returning for the 2026 season despite leading the team to a 25-10 record and a section championship appearance.
In February earlier this year, Byxbe requested to resign from his role as the school’s principal and move back to the classroom in a teaching and coaching capacity.
Church said she was not given the opportunity to apply prior to Byxbe’s name first appearing as a recommendation to hire for an April 1 special meeting.
According to Ed Code, West Valley was not obligated to grant additional candidates an interview after receiving the application of a certified on-campus teacher who meets the role’s qualifications.
“Schools often begin the hiring process for coaching positions by first sharing these opportunities internally. This helps identify qualified and interested candidates who are already part of the district, and it reflects a well-established and appropriate practice. The decision in CTA v. Rialto Unified School District (1997) offers helpful guidance in this area, confirming that qualified internal applicants should be given priority consideration over walk-on coaches,” AUHSD superintendent Brian Parker wrote in a statement to the Record Searchlight in April. “Ultimately, decisions about relative qualifications involve professional judgment and discretion. The AUHSD Board of Trustees is responsible for making the final determination.”
Byxbe met those qualifications, and while Church established herself as a successful and proven coach, the school was not legally obligated to grant her an interview.
However, the Board denied Byxbe the role at an April 20 special meeting and Trustee Julia Rinauro addressed the community’s concerns.
“The position that was filled by Melissa Church, from my understanding, was that you fired her or let her go, and then you assumed to apply for that position for yourself,” Rinauro said, addressing Byxbe. “It doesn’t feel right. Everyone has their own personal opinion. Everyone has the information that they have to make the best decision they can.”
The District reopened the application, allowing both Byxbe and Church to apply, and Byxbe again appeared as the recommended hire for the June 17 meeting. This time, the Board approved Byxbe as the West Valley girls varsity volleyball coach for the 2026 season.
Byxbe declined to comment on the situation but said he is ready to get to work.
Brett Abrams is a sports reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. He covers high school and local sports in the Redding area. Reach out to Brett with any sports tips or news on X (formerly Twitter) @brabrams_ or by email at Brett.Abrams@Redding.com. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: AUHSD approves Just Byxbe as head coach for West Valley volleyball
Reporting by Brett Abrams, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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By Brett Abrams, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
