LOYAL WELCOMES NEW BOYS BASKETBALL COACH

Sports Desk – The Loyal Greyhounds boys basketball program has a new coach running the show. First time head coach Brandon DeSmet.

DeSmet, a 2009 graduate from Marshfield Columbus Catholic High School, will take over for Dean Bogdonovich who stepped away after three seasons. Before taking the job at Loyal, Brandon was an assistant varsity coach at SPASH under Scott Anderson and was a member of the staff when the Panthers won three straight state championships.

The Greyhounds will be getting a coach that has had the opportunities to learn from one of the most successful coaches in Wisconsin high school boys’ basketball over the last 15 years and Brandon his ready to bring what he learned to Loyal.

“I was able to learn ways to approach the game and be a great leader to be able to connect with young players and teaches the game to them,” said DeSmet about learning from Scott Anderson at SPASH.

Besides coaching Brandon is a junior high teacher and is really excited to be teaching his favorite subject.

“I’m really excited to teach junior high math there, it’s something I’ve always really liked teaching,” DeSmet said.

With everything going on the WIAA allowed schools to have some contact days for athletics and Loyal took full advantage of them and coach DeSmet was able to meet his guys.

“I’ve been able to meet many of the players and in late July we were able to get together and run a couple contact days,” DeSmet said.

As being a graduate from a school in his conference Brandon is looking forward to coaching at Columbus Catholic.

“I think going back there, I’m going to have a really big smile with so many great memories that were created,” said DeSmet. “Being able to go back there and think about all the great games and competitions we had there and think about all the practices and summer open gyms and then the school itself.”

And with every new coach they will look to bring in their own new philosophies and ways of playing and coach DeSmet is no different.

“We are going to focus on being a fundamentally sound team, make sure we work on high assists and low turnovers that is something we preached at SPASH,” said DeSmet. “We are going to work on spacing the floor offensively, and helping our players make plays for each other.”

The community is a town like Loyal is so key in welcoming in a newcomer to a school especially in a sport like basketball and coach DeSmet wanted to thank everyone in the community for the opportunity.

“I would just like to thank them for the opportunity and I look forward to the chance to work with their young men and help teach them the game of basketball, but also help to teach them values and help create relationships that they’ll take beyond the basketball court and outside of Loyal High School.”

First chance to see coach DeSmet and the Loyal Greyhounds will be December 1st as they host Owen-Withee.