Volleyball coach Taylor Brooks isn’t the only one rising in the athletic ranks at North Oconee this fall.
The Titan flag football program promoted Nicole O’Mara from assistant to head coach after the departure of former coach Jay Lasley. Lasley left the Titans just before their run to the semifinals in the GHSA baseball playoffs to pursue a dream gig doing international player development with the Miami Marlins in the Dominican Republic.
O’Mara was the only woman on Lasley’s staff, and still is on her own staff; but that doesn’t matter. As a mom of only boys, she finally has the daughter she never had — almost three dozen of them.
“Catherine (Cooper)’s mom had said something to her like, ‘How do you think Nicole likes coaching a bunch of girls now,’ essentially saying like, ‘Nicole doesn’t have any daughters, how do you think she’s faring,’” O’Mara said. “And Catherine was like, ‘Mom what do you mean, she does have daughters. She has 34 of us.’”
O’Mara has been a science teacher at North Oconee High School for nearly 11 years and has been part of the swim and dive team’s coaching staff as an assistant for going on 10 of those — the 2024 season actually began Monday.
When Lasley left, the feelings for promotion were mutual. O’Mara was interested, the athletic department was interested. They wanted to keep some form of consistency for the girls, who are in their third season as a program. The junior class was the inaugural class in 2022. Now, they are one of eight programs in the Athens-area, joined by cross-town rival Oconee County, Classic City natives Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals, and more.
“There was a lot of change with Jay leaving baseball, because he left in the middle of the season, so they were trying to shore up as much as they could without causing too much chaos within the kids,” O’Mara said.
It worked out, too, because there wasn’t a learning gap for anyone. The girls knew who she was, and she knew who they were, and the dynamics of the team were already established knowledge and practice between parties. It also helps that O’Mara’s son is in 11th grade; she’s been around these girls longer than she’s been their coach. North Oconee is like a tightly knit circle.
“It’s fun to be back, for sure, but it’s a little different,” junior wide receiver Taylor Dillard said. “The coaching is a little bit different, too, I’d say a little bit more intense, especially because last year we saw just how far we could get.”
The Titans were runners-up in their classification last season, falling in the championship to Southeast Bulloch (a team that still hasn’t lost a game since adopting the sport).
“We’re still trying to have fun, but at the same time, they’re trying to push us to be the best that we can be,” junior running back Lexi Favreau said. “I feel like coach O’Mara is kind of like our mom. When she coaches, you can tell that everything she says is meant to be very supportive and help us grow as girls and as teammates.”
“She speaks girl language,” Dillard continued. “All the rest of the coaches are guys, so coach O’Mara is able to look at us and be like, ‘Hey, it’s OK. I know that was intense,’ and then explain it in girl language. When it comes to girls, I feel like you have to make it really fun for us to want to play. We don’t really like the screaming at you approach.”
As a boy mom, O’Mara learned what she could about coaching girls from Lasley, who has three daughters of his own.
“We were at the playoffs last year, at home, and the girls were dancing on the sidelines dancing to All I Want for Christmas is You. We’re in warmups, they’re doing a dance and I’m looking at Jay like, ‘What the heck,’ and he’s like, ‘Just let them do it. I know your boy mom tendencies are going get your act together, get your life together, we’re fixing to play a game, but girls have to have fun to win, and guys have to win to have fun.’”
The relationships are the most important part to O’Mara, who has spent a decade working with students in an individualized sport. One of the biggest issues the team is having to overcome is the way the season overlaps with softball, volleyball, and soon, basketball.
“Obviously, if we implement new things every practice, it’s going to be difficult for (those that have other sports) to know what’s going on,” junior quarterback Catherine Cooper said. “It’s just important to come when and if you can, and you don’t have to participate, but just be there so you know what’s happening and when you can get the reps, get them. … I feel like we (still) have good team chemistry, regardless.”
O’Mara has tried combating this by scheduling practice before school in the mornings on Tuesday and Thursday. A 6:30 a.m. start time might sound exhausting, but it leaves their afternoons open, and the girls have surprisingly taken to it with enthusiasm, she said.
North Oconee (3-2) hosts Dacula (0-3) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.