North Central Hires Two Basketball Coaches
North Central has hired two basketball coaches with solid foundations on which to build high hopes.
Jay Webber, who coached Dayton to a 28-1 record and the State B boys basketball championship, is the new boys coach.
John Reid, a successful volleyball and basketball coach in California, who moved to Spokane four years ago because his family loved the city, takes over the girls program.
“I was a little apprehensive,” said Webber, 134-49 in seven years at Dayton. “An opportunity like that doesn’t come around very often. It’s a great opportunity and I’m going to try to take advantage of it.”
Webber, 33, replaces Don VanLierop, who resigned after two years as an out-of-building coach. VanLierop teaches at Ferris.
Dayton made back-to-back appearances in the state tournament, finishing fifth in 1994. A native of Coulee City and a graduate of Whitworth College, Webber was an assistant coach at Waterville for two years before moving to Dayton in 1988. He also received his Masters from Eastern Washington.
“It’s a great move for me, but it was a hard decision for me,” Webber said. “I enjoyed my time here and they’re great kids, but they’ll be just fine without me.”
Webber’s parents reside in Spokane, as do members of his wife’s family.
After visiting Spokane, Reid and his wife, a speech pathologist, quit their jobs in California and moved to Spokane.
“It’s a wonderful, wonderful place to raise children,” Reid said of the decision to leave Orange County. “We gave up great, promising careers.”
Reid planned to work on his Masters after his wife got a job, but he became a physical education specialist at Linwood Elementary.
With the youngest of their four children now 2 1/2, Reid’s wife encouraged him to return to coaching.
“She said, ‘You should take this opportunity. I know you’re chomping at the bit.”’ he said. “It is a great opportunity.”
Reid, 41, takes over for Tammy Tibbles, another out-of-building coach. Tibbles, a standout player at Creston and Gonzaga University, is a firefighter.
After graduating from Cal State Fullerton, Reid became volleyball coach and co-coach of the girls basketball team with current Pepperdine coach Mark Trakh at Brea-Olinda High School in North Orange County.
Taking over the league doormat in 1980, they turned Brea Olinda into a national power in basketball. Reid left Brea-Olinda in 1986, but Trakh was at BOHS for 13 years, compiling a 356-42 record and 11 straight league titles before taking the Pepperdine job two years ago.
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