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HARTINGTON — For the first time in his eight seasons leading the Cedar Catholic girls basketball program, Craig Wortmann looks down the bench and sees a familiar face — his wife.
As the Trojans open the second half of the season, Wortmann is in the midst of a new chapter not just as head coach, but as part of a husband-and-wife coaching tandem.
Wendy Wortmann joined the staff as an assistant, adding a new layer of support and perspective to a program that has steadily grown since Craig took over prior to the 2017-18 season.
Craig Wortmann began his coaching career as an assistant at Cedar before eventually stepping into the head role.
Over the years, he has worked alongside a variety of assistants, each of whom he credits with helping shape both his coaching philosophy and the direction of the program.
“For me and for the Cedar Catholic girls program, every one of those coaches who were with me did something to help me along the way and make me a better coach,” Wortmann said. “I hope that, at some point, I’m helping them become better coaches, too.”
Wendy Wortmann officially joined the staff this season, filling a need and expanding the program’s focus beyond X’s and O’s. Her responsibilities include conditioning, lifting, speed training and plyometrics — work that often happens behind the scenes but plays a critical role in player development.
Her presence allows Craig to focus more fully on game preparation and strategy, while Wendy concentrates on building strong, healthy athletes.
In addition to training, Wendy also emphasizes injury prevention and nutrition, particularly mindful of issues that have surfaced in recent seasons.
“We’re trying to take care of the athlete as a whole,” Wendy Wortmann said. “We’re not only developing them as basketball players, but also helping them learn how to take care of their bodies.”
On game nights, Craig Wortmann leads strategy and in-game decisions, but he encourages open communication among his staff.
Drawing on his own experience as a high school and collegiate player and then as an assistant, he values collaboration and input from those around him.
“I try to stay in the moment,” Wortmann said. “Can you give me your best in that moment? That moment is going to be different all the time.”
Wendy views her role as a supportive one, centered on motivation, encouragement and connection. As a female coach working with female athletes, she believes relationships can play a meaningful role in player confidence and growth.
“I’m not there to run the show,” she said. “I know my role. I’m not the head coach. I’m there to help in any way, shape or form.”
Helping players navigate struggles — especially when expectations don’t match reality — is a consistent point of emphasis for the staff. Perspective and patience, Craig Wortmann said, are essential.
“If you’re a good shooter and you shoot 40%, that’s a pretty high percentage,” he said. “That also means you’re going to miss six out of 10 shots. You’re going to miss a lot, but you have to take those shots to get there. It’s not the end of the world — you just have to understand where you’re coming from.”
Coaching together also requires balance away from the court. With their daughter, Anisten, on the team, separating their roles as parents and coaches can be challenging. Craig and Wendy said support from the rest of the staff helps maintain perspective.
“You have to be able to turn it off at some point,” Craig Wortmann said. “For all three of us, there has to be a time when you’re just a dad, just a mom and just a daughter.”
As the season progresses, the focus remains simple — one practice and one game at a time. Craig and Wendy Wortmann believe the pieces will come together as the year goes along — guided by shared leadership rooted in trust, communication and a commitment to developing young athletes both on and off the court.
