Fletchers, Lancers mesh

Even if it was as simple as a son following in his father’s footsteps, the coaching staff for the Liberty girls at the State 2B basketball tournament would be interesting.

Aaron Fletcher is coaching the Lancers, assisted by Chad Cornmesser, who was an assistant for the boys when Fletcher played in the state tournament in 1992. A few years before that, Cornmesser was the Lancers’ quarterback in the State B-11 championship football game and his coach was Rod Fletcher.

Rod Fletcher was also the girls basketball coach. When Aaron got out of college, he was his father’s assistant.

Aaron Fletcher tries to keep it that simple.

But the truth is Rod Fletcher was – take your pick – pressured, forced out or fired about five years ago and Aaron Fletcher almost went with him.

Obviously, he didn’t, as his unheralded Lancers were back at the Arena on Wednesday, where they lost a first-round game to Liberty Bell. Liberty played without a single player who started one game for last year’s state tournament team.

“It’s something I knew I wanted to do a long time ago,” Aaron Fletcher said. “I didn’t necessarily want to be a girls basketball coach, but a high school basketball coach. I’ve got that opportunity now.”

When his dad stepped down, so did Aaron.

“It was dark, it was hard,” he said. “I didn’t coach for three years. I had to sit down and evaluate if I wanted to coach, even if I wanted to stay in teaching.”

He took another job, but by August he knew he wanted to be in a classroom. He was a boys assistant last year. When the girls job opened, he went for it, with his father’s blessings.

“I was kind of surprised he took the job,” Rod Fletcher said. “He’s definitely seen the drawbacks. But he’s also seen the rewards that go along with it.”

It could be weird sitting in a chair his dad was pushed out of, but Aaron Fletcher made the most of it.

“I really haven’t thought of it,” he said … “I did it because I’ve seen the good side. I saw the positive relationships with the kids.”

Instead of talking about what led to Rod Fletcher’s departure, father and son talked about what is right with Aaron Fletcher’s job.

“I have a different group of parents,” Aaron Fletcher said. “It’s a lot more supportive. You couldn’t ask for a better group of parents. It makes a huge difference, not just in our program but in every high school program, if you have supportive parents.”

“It’s improved for me the last couple of years,” Rod Fletcher said of going to games. “They have a new superintendent. That’s made things easier for me.”