Cda Football Coach Resigns Because Of Heart Problems

Citing health concerns, Bill Anderson has resigned as football coach at Coeur d’Alene High School, just two years after taking the job.

Anderson, 51, had what was determined to be a mild heart attack the night before Coeur d’Alene’s final regular-season game. He left the hospital to coach the game, a 24-14 win over crosstown rival Lake City.

“I have to stay out of high-stress situations as much as possible,” said Anderson, whose two Vikings teams had a combined 6-12 record. His best team was last fall when it finished 4-5.

Follow-up tests after the season showed two of three arteries were plugged.

“I thought about it really hard; it was one of the toughest decisions I had to make,” Anderson said. “I’m still not real comfortable with it. But I thought I’d better make a decision now so they could have time to find a new coach.”

Anderson may need bypass surgery in the future.

“I’m on four different medications, and the doctors say that as long as they can control things with the medication I won’t have to have surgery,” Anderson said. “My wife is a great supporter and she’d abide by whatever decision I made. But my kids (all grown) wanted me to get out and be able to watch my grandchildren grow up.”

Athletic director Larry Schwenke said Anderson will be missed.

“I know this decision was very difficult for him, but the health issue unfortunately had to come first,” Schwenke said. “He had more goals he wanted to accomplish with the football program. I’m very proud of what Bill gave to the program. He treated kids first class.”

Anderson said he will miss being around the players most.

“I’m going to miss the Friday night lights - the comradeship with the coaches - but it’s the kids I’ll miss the most,” he said. “In a way I feel like I’ve let them down because I didn’t feel like I finished what I started here.”

Anderson told his players of the decision Tuesday afternoon.

He said his health condition has him concerned. His father died at age 83 because of a heart attack.

“It scares the hell out of me; I’m really afraid,” Anderson said. “I’m afraid just doing my daily workouts. I’ve had to change my diet and whole lifestyle. I have just one artery that is feeding blood to the heart.

“I can function now. I’m running a mile and a half. When I first started I could barely do a quarter of a mile. I don’t feel any different, but it’s a constant thing in the back of my mind.”

Anderson will continue to teach at CdA. He has at least 10 years until retirement.

He just completed his 24th season as a head coach. His overall record is 115-90-2.

Anderson says he may return to coaching if his health will allow it.

“I’m not closing the door on it at all. The way I look at it I’m taking a sabbatical,” he said.

Anderson thought criticism of his program was unjustified.

“We were just like a new high school too when I got here,” Anderson said. “But we had to live up to a reputation set back in the 1980s.”

Anderson hopes school officials move quickly to name a successor. He will continue helping with the off-season duties until a coach is named.

“I hope they do it quicker than when they hired me because they need to get people on board to get kids to camp and so forth,” Anderson said.

Schwenke said it hasn’t been determined whether the job will be opened up outside the district or just be offered in-district.

Interviews set

CdA High officials will interview two for the head baseball coaching job.

The candidates are former CdA High longtime assistant Darren Taylor and current Vikings assistant Brian Holgate.

Taylor has coached the highly successful Post Falls American Legion program. Holgate assisted former CdA head coach Paul Mather in prep and American Legion.

Mather was recently fired.

“We hope to name a coach by next week,” Schwenke said.

, DataTimes