DARLINGTON — The Redbirds have a new girls hoops coach, and it is a familiar face. Brad Solberg, the school’s physical education teacher, was hired May 18.

“I’ve been around these girls for five or six years now, and it’s nice to have that relationship off the court already established,” Solberg said. 

Solberg, a Black Hawk graduate, spent five years as the Darlington boys assistant coach and has been the school’s baseball head coach for six years. He spent this past season as the boys coach in Belmont.

“It was a difficult decision to leave (Belmont). I thought that we had some good things going for us and the future was bright,” Solberg said. “I just saw (Darlington) as a good opportunity to coach where I teach.”

The Redbirds’ program has been soaring in recent years. Former head coach Kelly Rose consistently had her team in the hunt for conference titles. 

“The foundation has already been laid,” Solberg said. “There have been six players in the last seven or eight years that have gone on to play in college.”

Rose stepped away from the program during this past season due to complications with her pregnancy. Former Black Hawk and UW-Green Bay hoops standout Jen Wellnitz took over the program in the interim.

Solberg said he has his own offensive and defensive philosophies on the game, and that the motion offense will have a strong concept on the program’s future. However he said he’ll adjust his team to its strengths year after year, while working on fundamentals with the youth programs. 

“I think there’s a lot of excitement. Everyone is just excited to play again,” Solberg said.