The Menlo athletic department welcomes many new additions this year, including new athletic director Earl Koberlein. Koberlein has always loved sports, playing baseball, soccer and basketball, as well as participating in track-and-field and swimming while growing up. Before joining the Menlo faculty, Koberlein worked in the Stanford University Athletic Department for 25 years. Koberlein explained through email what drew him to Menlo: “I value the pursuit of excellence in high level academics and athletics and like Stanford, Menlo School strives for [both].”

Also new to the Menlo Athletic Department this year is new Head Football Coach Josh Bowie. Bowie has coached high school football all over the peninsula, working as the head coach at Woodside High School from 2012-2013 and later as the offensive coordinator there. He has also coached at Sacred Heart Prep, Castro Valley High School and Cappuccino High School. In addition to coaching high school football, Bowie has been working at Crocker Middle School in the Physical Education department for the past 13 years. “I had never been on campus before, but when I started digging into Menlo, I saw that many of the school’s beliefs are very similar to what we do at Crocker, as well as my beliefs as an educator,” Bowie said. Bowie grew up playing football and is ready to transfer his knowledge of the game to the Menlo football team.

Another new head coach in the Menlo community is water polo coach Claire Howie. After working as Menlo girls’ varsity water polo assistant coach and the boys’ JV head coach in 2017, Claire Howie is stepping up as the new girls’ varsity head coach. Prior to her role at Menlo, Howie founded the North Beach Water Polo club in Chicago. She also coached water polo at New Trier Township High School and Evanston Township High School, both located in Illinois. As the Menlo varsity girls head coach this year, Howie hopes for the team to win a CCS championship.”[It is] a tough goal, but an achievable one,” Howie said. Howie’s coaching philosophy is team-oriented. “I believe that the way we get back to the CCS championship is by sharing the ball, and not revolving on any one player to make or break the team,” she said. The girls started the season strong with a 9-7 win against Paly, and a 17-4 win against Burlingame for their home opener.

In the golf department, Mark Madayag was named the new head coach for both the girls’ and boys’ varsity teams. Madayag previously worked at Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto, serving as a PGA golf professional. With a great proficiency in the sport, Madayag is excited to take on both Menlo golf teams this year. “When I heard Menlo was looking for a head coach, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to share my passion for golf and coaching,” Madayag said in an email. “[My main goal is] to see constant improvement in their golf skills and knowledge of the game,” Madayag said.