Wallace girls coach Krulitz dies

Wallace girls basketball coach Kirby Krulitz died Thursday afternoon of an apparent heart attack. He was 63.

Krulitz, who also was the Wallace School District transportation supervisor, was on a coffee break just before the fleet of drivers was scheduled to begin its afternoon routes, Wallace athletic director Dave Rounds said.

Wallace’s North Star League boys and girls games Friday against Mullan were postponed. No makeup date has been set.

“He’s one of the best,” Rounds said. “Not only did Wallace High School lose somebody, but the community lost one of our best. He touched so many lives. The Xs and Os are one thing, but what Kirby did best was teach the girls how to carry themselves and how to behave. He made the girls better people.”

Krulitz coached Wallace to its best finish at state in 2006 when the Miners took second. This year’s team is tied for first in the NSL at 3-1 and 6-7 overall.

First-year junior varsity girls coach Nichole Farkas will oversee the varsity team until a permanent replacement can be found, Rounds said.

“We want to have somebody in place as early as next week,” Rounds said.

Krulitz was a longtime assistant with the boys team under coach Dick Lilienkamp.

He also assisted his twin brother, Art, when he was girls head coach.

The Krulitz twins, along with cousin Dave Fealko, the former Coeur d’Alene and Lake City girls head coach, played together on the Mullan boys team when it captured a 1A state championship in 1965.

Greg Lee