Two new girls basketball coaches will be on the sidelines at two St. John Valley high schools for the 2007-08 season.

Dean Gendreau will take over the Madawaska girls on an interim basis this winter, while David Dow is the new coach at Wisdom of St. Agatha.

Gendreau serves as the Madawaska recreation director as well as the girls tennis coach and an assistant soccer coach.

Athletic director Ed Marshall said Gendreau was tapped right at the start of the season because longtime coach Merilda Plourde is dealing with unspecified health issues.

In fact, Marshall had to find a coach on the very first day of practice.

“I’m very fortunate,” Marshall said. “Dean’s a wonderful person. He was my first go-to guy.”

Gendreau coached the Madwaska girls tennis team to the Eastern Maine Class C final last spring.

Gendreau will coach the girls this season and if need be, the position will be opened up after the season ends.

Plourde would have been in the ninth season of her second stint coaching the Owls. She was also with the team from 1976 to 1983.

Dow, meanwhile, takes over for Tracie Hobbs, who is now the head coach at the University of Maine-Presque Isle.

A longtime basketball official, the retired Dow has coached boys at the middle school level. He lives in St. Agatha.

The Pioneers are young with three seniors, one junior, three sophomores and the rest being freshmen, athletic director Mim Gagnon said, and right now the biggest problem is the weather – the team hasn’t had as many days on the court as it would have liked because of canceled practices.

“They’re young and they need to get some playing time on the court,” Gagnon said. “David’s expecting good things. As long as they learn and improve, that’s all you can ask for.”

Girls leadership grants available

The Women’s Sports Foundation and Gatorade have introduced a $50,000 grant program for female high school teams that demonstrate leadership in motivating girls to actively engage in sports and physical activity.

GoGirlGo! Ambassador team awards of $2,500 apiece will be awarded to 20 high school teams around the country. Grants can be used for team uniforms, travel and equipment. Entries must be completed and submitted by July 18, 2008, and grant recipients will be announced in September.

To apply for the grants, the participants must be female students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 and affiliated with a school, amateur, community or nonprofit organization.

Applications and details are available at www.GoGirlWorld.org/Ambassador.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.