North Dakota Preps

Has DL hired their next coach?

Parents force him out to? Who wants that job?

Devils Lake has two oustanding players in Erickstad and Mertens. They play the game very well. They have a lot of hard working kids, but are not basketball players. Somewhere along the way someone is to blame for not working with the younger students. The seniors that are graduating this year was one of the last traveling teams that was taken around by a parent. It really shows that the coaches or parents did not care about the program. Except for a real good 8th grade player they will have to wait for the 5th grade boys team who will all probably be starting as freshmen. The whole program of coaches needs to be changed from varsity to 7th grade. They have to be on the same page as the head coach which I didnt see the last few years. Whoever takes the job better be moving in that gym with those kids, because if they don't Mertens & Smith will have two guys a piece guarding them every night. If the program was smart they would go out and recruit Jeff Hagler and hope the rest of the boys will follow him. Otherwise look for the Firebirds to have the worst record in the state the next 5 to 6 years.

dr j buss wrote:Devils Lake has two oustanding players in Erickstad and Mertens. They play the game very well. They have a lot of hard working kids, but are not basketball players. Somewhere along the way someone is to blame for not working with the younger students. The seniors that are graduating this year was one of the last traveling teams that was taken around by a parent. It really shows that the coaches or parents did not care about the program. Except for a real good 8th grade player they will have to wait for the 5th grade boys team who will all probably be starting as freshmen. The whole program of coaches needs to be changed from varsity to 7th grade. They have to be on the same page as the head coach which I didnt see the last few years. Whoever takes the job better be moving in that gym with those kids, because if they don't Mertens & Smith will have two guys a piece guarding them every night. If the program was smart they would go out and recruit Jeff Hagler and hope the rest of the boys will follow him. Otherwise look for the Firebirds to have the worst record in the state the next 5 to 6 years.

Who's Jeff Hagler?

MoSiouxFan wrote:

dr j buss wrote:Devils Lake has two oustanding players in Erickstad and Mertens. They play the game very well. They have a lot of hard working kids, but are not basketball players. Somewhere along the way someone is to blame for not working with the younger students. The seniors that are graduating this year was one of the last traveling teams that was taken around by a parent. It really shows that the coaches or parents did not care about the program. Except for a real good 8th grade player they will have to wait for the 5th grade boys team who will all probably be starting as freshmen. The whole program of coaches needs to be changed from varsity to 7th grade. They have to be on the same page as the head coach which I didnt see the last few years. Whoever takes the job better be moving in that gym with those kids, because if they don't Mertens & Smith will have two guys a piece guarding them every night. If the program was smart they would go out and recruit Jeff Hagler and hope the rest of the boys will follow him. Otherwise look for the Firebirds to have the worst record in the state the next 5 to 6 years.

Who's Jeff Hagler?

North Star's boy's basketball head coach.

Indy5 wrote:

MoSiouxFan wrote:

dr j buss wrote:Devils Lake has two oustanding players in Erickstad and Mertens. They play the game very well. They have a lot of hard working kids, but are not basketball players. Somewhere along the way someone is to blame for not working with the younger students. The seniors that are graduating this year was one of the last traveling teams that was taken around by a parent. It really shows that the coaches or parents did not care about the program. Except for a real good 8th grade player they will have to wait for the 5th grade boys team who will all probably be starting as freshmen. The whole program of coaches needs to be changed from varsity to 7th grade. They have to be on the same page as the head coach which I didnt see the last few years. Whoever takes the job better be moving in that gym with those kids, because if they don't Mertens & Smith will have two guys a piece guarding them every night. If the program was smart they would go out and recruit Jeff Hagler and hope the rest of the boys will follow him. Otherwise look for the Firebirds to have the worst record in the state the next 5 to 6 years.

Who's Jeff Hagler?

North Star's boy's basketball head coach.

Thanks. They certainly need to get someone who's young and energetic to rebuild their program from the bottom up. They've been so competitive for so long and then to see their J.V., Soph., and Freshman teams go 1-17, 1-15, and 0-20, respectively, this year is a shocker. How in the world did things go downhill so far so fast, other than what Dr. j buss cited earlier?

But I think they'll still be respectable (maybe middle of the EDC) next season with Erickstad and Mertens. BTW, who's the good 8th grader that's coming up and what position does he play?

Just heard that Josh Johnson was named the head coach. I think it is a great choice. If anyone can bring smarts, toughness and an interest to the Devils Lake program it would be Josh. A very good guy with a lot of knowledge of the game. Good for Devils Lake and their boys.

dr j buss wrote:Just heard that Josh Johnson was named the head coach. I think it is a great choice. If anyone can bring smarts, toughness and an interest to the Devils Lake program it would be Josh. A very good guy with a lot of knowledge of the game. Good for Devils Lake and their boys.

What was his previous job?

MoSiouxFan wrote:But I think they'll still be respectable (maybe middle of the EDC) next season with Erickstad and Mertens. BTW, who's the good 8th grader that's coming up and what position does he play?

Hadley Smith. Point guard. Very solid player with a nice stroke. He will be one to watch.

balla45 wrote:

MoSiouxFan wrote:But I think they'll still be respectable (maybe middle of the EDC) next season with Erickstad and Mertens. BTW, who's the good 8th grader that's coming up and what position does he play?

Hadley Smith. Point guard. Very solid player with a nice stroke. He will be one to watch.

Thanks.

Indy5 wrote:What was his previous job?

Coaching job? not sure. He is the middle school principal, I believe.

Indy5 wrote:

dr j buss wrote:Just heard that Josh Johnson was named the head coach. I think it is a great choice. If anyone can bring smarts, toughness and an interest to the Devils Lake program it would be Josh. A very good guy with a lot of knowledge of the game. Good for Devils Lake and their boys.

What was his previous job?

He was a 2 time all state performer and mr basketball finalist for Devils Lake back in the late 1990s or so. I believe he played at UND then assitant coached for them a while later. Definitely the right guy for the job.

Josh Johnson resigned at Devils Lake, citing not having enough time to do justice to both his principals job and coaching. I think he did a good job, despite their record.