Kyle Bille as a first year boys basketball coach at Black Hawk may have just as many butterflies as his players as the Warriors tip off the season hosting Ithaca tonight.
"I think it's only natural and competitive to have some butterflies," Bille said. "I'm not sure what my outlet will be. Once we get going, it will be another game."
Bille is one of five new coaches in the Six Rivers East Conference this year and he replaces longtime coach Jerry Mortimer, who retired from coaching in March after 26 years and a 377-196 record.
Bille, a 1998 graduate of Waupun High School and 2002 UW-Green Bay grad takes over the reigns from Mortimer after a three-year stint as the Argyle boys junior varsity coach. He understands there will be an adjustment period in the transition for the Warriors with a rookie coach.
"The realization has not hit me yet," Bille said, of coaching and following a successful coach like Mortimer who won almost 400 games. "Maybe the realization will hit me when I see the big crowd at Black Hawk. I'm not trying to fill his (Mortimer's) shoes. I wouldn't be able to match it. I'm trying to start my own thing here, have some fun and win some games."
Bille isn't the only coach making his head coaching debut. Kurt Ritschard, a 2002 Argyle alum, returns to as a first-year coach replacing Travis Erickson. Ritschard is excited about establishing a winning program again.
Argyle has had seven-straight losing season. Last year, Argyle had its best finish 8-13 in the last seven years. Argyle opens the season hosting Highland.
"I have always wanted to be a head basketball coach," Ritschard said. "It's really been a thrill for me. The opportunity to get back and hopefully build a winning streak is my main priority."
Kevin Parman, who coached boys basketball for several years at Barneveld and last year coached girls basketball at Highland, enters his first year at Pecatonica with just eight varsity players. Pecatonica opens the season hosting Mineral Point.
"I'm definitely no stranger to the Six Rivers," Parman said. "I'm going into it with the same focus and outlook as any other game. It's about what your team is able to do and how they do what they do."
When Parman coached at Barneveld, the Eagles played Mineral Point every year.
"We are just trying to get back to the basics, work as hard as we can and see what happens," he said. "We want to get better day by day and hopefully be playing our best at the end of the year."
"I think it's only natural and competitive to have some butterflies," Bille said. "I'm not sure what my outlet will be. Once we get going, it will be another game."
Bille is one of five new coaches in the Six Rivers East Conference this year and he replaces longtime coach Jerry Mortimer, who retired from coaching in March after 26 years and a 377-196 record.
Bille, a 1998 graduate of Waupun High School and 2002 UW-Green Bay grad takes over the reigns from Mortimer after a three-year stint as the Argyle boys junior varsity coach. He understands there will be an adjustment period in the transition for the Warriors with a rookie coach.
"The realization has not hit me yet," Bille said, of coaching and following a successful coach like Mortimer who won almost 400 games. "Maybe the realization will hit me when I see the big crowd at Black Hawk. I'm not trying to fill his (Mortimer's) shoes. I wouldn't be able to match it. I'm trying to start my own thing here, have some fun and win some games."
Bille isn't the only coach making his head coaching debut. Kurt Ritschard, a 2002 Argyle alum, returns to as a first-year coach replacing Travis Erickson. Ritschard is excited about establishing a winning program again.
Argyle has had seven-straight losing season. Last year, Argyle had its best finish 8-13 in the last seven years. Argyle opens the season hosting Highland.
"I have always wanted to be a head basketball coach," Ritschard said. "It's really been a thrill for me. The opportunity to get back and hopefully build a winning streak is my main priority."
Kevin Parman, who coached boys basketball for several years at Barneveld and last year coached girls basketball at Highland, enters his first year at Pecatonica with just eight varsity players. Pecatonica opens the season hosting Mineral Point.
"I'm definitely no stranger to the Six Rivers," Parman said. "I'm going into it with the same focus and outlook as any other game. It's about what your team is able to do and how they do what they do."
When Parman coached at Barneveld, the Eagles played Mineral Point every year.
"We are just trying to get back to the basics, work as hard as we can and see what happens," he said. "We want to get better day by day and hopefully be playing our best at the end of the year."
