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Fruitland High School
School Info
Conference: 3A Snake River Valley Conference
Classification: 3A
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Head Coach: Mike Fitch
Years as Head Coach: 15
Record Last Year: 18-7
State Titles: 1980, 2008, 2011, 2012
Assistant Coaches:
Troy O'Dell, Drew Judson, Mike Tesnohlidek, Craig Hamann
Who do you have coming back this year?
PARKER STANGER 12 F 6’2”
JOSH RHINEHART 12 F 6’2”
JOEL VAN PATTEN 12 G 5’10”
TYLER SHIPP 12 G 6'0"
Any “Key Players” that you lost from last year?
WE GRADUATED 8 PLAYERS OFF LAST YEAR'S TEAM. THEY WERE ALL KEY AND ALL PLAYED SIGNIFICANT ROLES ON OUR TEAM.
Do you have any new incoming “impact” players?
WE WILL BE REALLY YOUNG W/ ONLY 4 SENIORS AND WHO, OF THE NEW VARSITY GUYS, WILL STEP UP AS "IMPACT" PLAYERS WILL BE DETERMINED AS THE SEASON PROGRESSES.
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Photo By: Jason Duchow - Parker Stanger #20 |
As a team, what are your offensive strengths?
TYPICALLY A BALANCED SCORING ATTACK IS THE ROOT OF OUR OFFENSIVE SUCCESS. WE FOCUS ON SHARING THE BALL AND EXECUTING TO GET EASY SHOTS.
Offensive areas you hope to improve on over last year:
THIS IS A BRAND NEW TEAM SO OUR FOCUS IS ON THIS YEAR, NOT LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR IS IRRELEVANT. WITH A BRAND NEW GROUP OF GUYS OUR STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES WILL DIFFER.
As a team, what are your defensive strengths?
OUR DEFENSIVE STRENGTHS ARE AN OVERALL TOUGHNESS AND TENACITY WHERE WE APPLY PRESSURE CONTINUALLY EVERYWHERE ON THE FLOOR. WE ARE PRIMARILY A MAN TEAM BUT ARE NOT OPPOSED TO PLAYING ZONE WHEN THE NEED ARISES. THIS TEAM WILL PROBABLY PLAY MORE ZONE THAN WE HAVE IN RECENT YEARS.
Defensive Areas you hope to improve on over last year:
WE ALWAYS LOOK TO IMPROVE ON OUR TRANSITION DEFENSE, IF WE CAN KEEP TEAMS IN THE HALF COURT WE FEEL WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
What are you most excited about in regards to this year’s team?
WE ARE MOST EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS TEAM COMES TOGETHER AS A GROUP. EVERY YEAR BRINGS A NEW OPTIMISM WITH IT. WE WILL BE AS GOOD AS OUR CHEMISTRY ALLOWS US TO BE.
For the fans, what is the must-see game of the year on your schedule?
OUR LEAGUE GAMES ARE ALWAYS BATTLES BUT WE HAVE MIDDLETON ON THE SCHEDULE TWICE THIS YEAR AND WITH DALE KARST RUNNING THINGS THERE AGAIN IT WILL BE A FLASHBACK TO THE OLD DAYS IN THE SRV.
What is the ‘X-Factor’ to having success this season as a team?
XFACTOR IS ALWAYS CHEMISTRY and BUY-IN. IF GUYS LEARN TO LOVE EACHOTHER AND PLAY FOR EACHOTHER WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. THE TRUE MEASURE OF A GOOD TEAM IS WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL CAN CELEBRATE HIS TEAMMATES SUCCESS EVEN IF IT IS AT THE EXPENSE OF HIS OWN PLAYING TIME.
If you could change one rule in high school basketball, what would it be?
I WOULD IMPLEMENT THE SHOTCLOCK. I THINK IT WOULD SPEED GAMES UP, AND ALTHOUGH THERE WOULD BE AN UGLY TRANSITION PHASE, IT WOULD REWARD TEAMS FOR EXECUTING WELL.
Besides the pay, the fame and the glory, why do you coach high school basketball?
THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE FORMED LAST A LIFETIME, MUCH LONGER THAN THE JOY OF ANY WIN OR PAIN OF ANY LOSS.
What makes your school the best place to coach for?
OUR SCHOOL HAS A TREMENDOUS TRADITION, AND EXPECTATIONS HERE ARE VERY HIGH. WE LIKE THAT, WE ALL EXPECT EXCELLENCE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM IN THIS DISTRTICT. THE ATMOSPHERE AND CULTURE AT FRUITLAND HIGH ARE THINGS OF BEAUTY. WE ALL LOVE THIS PLACE.
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