Mitchell Public Schools

October 26-30, 2026: Red Ribbon Week at Mitchell Elementary! Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug-Free. Join us for a fun week as we celebrate making healthy choices and living drug-free. Go Tigers!

Coaches Spotlight!

🐯 COACHES SPOTLIGHT: Traceten Halley
Sport: Varsity Boys Basketball, JH Assistant Football, HS Assistant Track and Field
Coaching: Head Coach 1 year experience, Assistant 6 years experience

Why do you coach?
I coach to hopefully have an impact on our athletes the same way my coaches did for me which is to help build resilience, be a part of something bigger than yourself, and unlock their full personal and professional potential through grit and hard work and lessons along the way. I want athletes to understand there is more to being on a team/playing a sport than “just a game”.

What is the biggest lesson you want your athletes to learn? Teamwork or a group working together will always be stronger and bigger than just an individual. This also applies to daily life, not just sports.

Favorite coaching memory?
As a basketball assistant at Norfolk High School for my own former head coach Tony Siske, we were the last seed in all of class A districts and missed a last second shot to beat undefeated and eventual state champion Bellevue West @ their place in the district final.

What makes Mitchell’s student athletes special?
The culture of competing and having the drive to push each other even when things get tough so everyone will improve.

Fun Fact:
Fishing is by far my favorite hobby

Rapid Fire:
☕ Coffee or energy drink? Favorite Kind? Neither… Death Water Peach Tea
🏀 Favorite sport to watch? College Football
🍕 Favorite food? Smothered Beef Enchiladas
🎬 Favorite movie? Lone Survivor
🎬 Favorite TV Show? Family Guy
🎵 Game-day song? Kickstart My Heart- Motley Crue

Check out the interview of Coach Halley here!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OeWLrWBWWll5NL57PqJql4pWabqtdVoy/view?usp=drive_link

Coaches Spotlight

🐯 COACHES SPOTLIGHT: Cassie Weigel
Sport: One-Acts
Coaching: 10 years
Why do you coach?
I enjoy sharing my love of theater with students and I participated in One-Acts when I was a student, so now I get to share my knowledge.

What is the biggest lesson you want your athletes to learn?
I want my students to learn how to step out of their comfort zones and to feel comfortable in their own skin.

Favorite coaching memory?
My favorite coaching memory was watching Sullivan Johnson win WTC Outstanding Actor and Kaidyn Patterson win WTC Outstanding Actress. These awards are the biggest honor an actor/actriess in the Western Trails Conference can receive

What makes Mitchell’s student athletes special?
Mitchell students are special because they are so involved. They all participate in a variety of activities. They can win WTC volleyball on a Saturday and compete on stage in One-Acts the following Tuesday. They all participate in so much.

Fun Fact:
I have an unnecessary fear of gas stations. I don’t like to go to gas stations I am unfamiliar with..

Rapid Fire:
☕ Coffee or energy drink? Favorite Kind? Coffee, my favorite kind is a sugar free vanilla iced, latte.
🏀 Favorite sport to watch? Baseball or hockey
🍕 Favorite food? Nachos
🎬 Favorite movie? The Grinch
🎬 Favorite TV Show? Love is Blind
🎵 Game-day song? Rack City by Tyga

Check out here interview here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19SF6kuKX4pd_vHGzMPLsQ54ScTG8tLI9/view?usp=drive_link

Coaches Spotlight

🐯 COACHES SPOTLIGHT: Austin Sailors
Sport/Activity: 7-12 Band
Coaching: Currently in year 12 at Mitchell

Why do you coach?
I am a band teacher because I get to make music all day with amazing people!

What is the biggest lesson you want your athletes/participants to learn?
Band is a large group class that exposes you to all different kinds of people often of different ages and abilities. Music is for everybody, and I want my groups to be inclusive, so the most important thing they can learn is how to get along with all members of the group and to contribute to the group. Everybody plays every song and no one “sits the bench” in the band, so it’s important for every individual to take responsibility for their own music in order for the group to be successful.

Favorite coaching memory?
It’s hard to choose one specific memory, but my favorite parts of my day are when students are working to be successful and overcome something that they were previously struggling with. I am always proud when a student shows that they are working on improving themselves.

What makes Mitchell’s student athletes/participants special?
It’s awesome to see students work and succeed at multiple different activities. That is not as common in a larger school!

Fun Fact:
I will be traveling to Europe with the Nebraska Ambassadors of Music next summer. It’s a cool opportunity offered to students involved in music!

Rapid Fire:
☕ Coffee or energy drink? Favorite Kind?
Coffee-Black
🏀 Favorite sport to watch?
Tennis
🍕 Favorite food?
Tacos
🎬 Favorite movie?
Star Wars
🎬 Favorite TV Show?
Parks and Recreation
🎵 Game-day song?
Paint it Black

Check out his interview here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SV-wOM2ARNFs8QMWXxMDcWTDWnIDwTmq/view?usp=drive_link

The next Coaches Spotlight for this week is Coach Gonzales!

🐯 COACHES SPOTLIGHT: Jordan Gonzales
Sport: Varsity Cheer
Coaching: 11 Years

Why do you coach?
I have a lot of experience with dance. I have danced and taught dance for a really long time. I also was a part of the cheer team in high school. I enjoy being able to share my knowledge and help contribute to the positive atmosphere at games and events. I really enjoy getting to know my students outside of the classroom setting and in a different space.

What is the biggest lesson you want your athletes to learn?
The biggest lesson I want my athletes to learn is that they are way more capable than they usually think they are. We work as a team a lot in cheer and all the members of the team have to work hard individually in order to make the team work in terms of stunting and using props and other crowd leading things. Many times these things are difficult to do right away and take a lot of time and patience to accomplish. I want my athletes to know that when they work hard and put their mind to something they can accomplish some really great things individually and as a team.

Favorite coaching memory?
Some of my favorite coaching memories are of football games when we have a large group of elementary students down on the track with us. It might look chaotic and a little crazy, but I really enjoy how excited the elementary kids get and how they look up to the members of the team, to me that is what cheering is all about.

What makes Mitchell’s student athletes special?
Mitchell student athletes are special because they are versatile. Most girls on my team are in multiple other sports and activities. I think this makes for some really well rounded kids. They are learning lessons and bringing in new ideas and perspectives to all of the different things they are involved in and I really think that that is special and different from a lot of other schools.

Fun Fact:
I own and run a small business with my husband.

Rapid Fire:
☕ Coffee or energy drink? Favorite Kind?
Both. Hot black coffee in the morning and a red bull in the afternoon-usually the seasonal flavors
🏀 Favorite sport to watch?
Olympic curling
🍕 Favorite food?
Junk food-chips (any kind of chip)
🎬 Favorite movie?
Dumb and Dumber or Billy Madison
🎬 Favorite TV Show?
Criminal Minds
🎵 Game-day song?

Want to see Coach Gonzales interview, click here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15IhgrgU7plSDbginG_5A9q1G-b2eD2Jj/view?usp=drive_link