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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Greg Lee: Coaching helps Roy Albertson stay forever young

In education parlance they’re called double dippers.

They’re the coaches or administrators who retire from teaching in Washington and head to Idaho seeking similar jobs because they’re not ready to walk off into the sunset.

They usually stick around five to seven years, padding their retirement.

Timberlake football coach Roy Albertson is the perpetual coach.

He retired from Chewelah after the 2002 season and landed at Timberlake for the 2003 season. Twelve seasons later, Albertson, 66, continues to enjoy what he does.

“As long as I take my wife to the casino once a week, I can keep coaching,” said Albertson, who has been married to Pat for 43 years.

His two head coaching stints in Washington included eight years at Chewelah and four at Dayton (four), his first job. In between, he spent 17 years as an assistant at Kennewick, 13 under the late Ed Troxel.

His overall record is 158-88-1, including 83-46 at Timberlake.

Last Sunday, his assistant coaches put up a parking sign in back of the gymnasium where he’s parked since arriving in Spirit Lake. It looks like something straight out of the department of transportation. It says: Reserved Parking Coach Albertson.

To qualify for a full retirement in Idaho, teachers must reach the Rule of 90 – age plus years teaching. In Albertson’s case, if he stayed at Timberlake another 12 years he would meet the requirements.

“What we’ve told him is he’ll be at full retirement when he reaches 90 (years old),” quipped longtime assistant Brian Kluss.

Coaches, administrators and friends call Albertson “Alby.” While he’s older than everyone he works with, you wouldn’t know he’s in his mid-60s. At 6-foot-3, he towers over most of his players.

Coaching and teaching weightlifting/conditioning isn’t work to Albertson.

“I’m doing my hobby,” he said. “It’s working with kids.”

He didn’t envision coaching at Timberlake a dozen years, nor does he see himself leaving anytime soon.

“Someday I’ll drop off the keys and go into retirement when I get tired of it,” Albertson said. “I’ve never gotten to that point.”

His coaching staff is a combination of current or former head coaches of other sports – Kluss (track), Mike Menti (softball), Rob Ranney (girls basketball), Bill Rider (baseball) and Kelly Amos (former football and wrestling coach who is returning to wrestling this year).

“He’s got a really good situation here,” Kluss said. “He has a bunch of guys who love working with him. And the kids love him. They keep him young. We’re just enjoying the ride.”

Kluss would be surprised if Albertson coaches into his mid-70s, but he wants him to stick around for a few more years at least.

“I’m asking for five more so he’ll coach through my son,” Kluss said.

Albertson has a quick wit, especially with kids.

“He has this way about him,” athletic director Tim Cronnelly said. “He has a great touch with kids. I remember one kid asking him, ‘Alby, were you a player back in the day?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I’m still a player.’ Both of my boys played for him and loved him.”

Albertson gleaned a lot of things from Troxel.

“The one thing about Ed is he was the first coach in Eastern Washington to have a great weight program,” Albertson said. “He treated kids with respect and loved them. Ed retired when he was 65. He told me once he wished he would have coached longer.”