Bruce let go as SHS girls basketball coach

SANDPOINT — After what he described as building the program up from pretty much rock bottom, former Sandpoint head girls basketball coach Lance Bruce was shocked last month when he was let go after his fourth season guiding the program.

Bruce said the toughest part was not really knowing why he was fired, that he was only told by athletic director Tom Albertson that a couple of parents and students had complained.

The news came as a complete surprise to Bruce, who felt he had the program headed in the right direction

“The past two seasons I haven’t had one complaint from a player or a parent. I’ve been coaching about 15 years, and that’s unprecedented,” said Bruce. “Tom said it’s not about X’s and O’s, winning or losing or basketball knowledge. I have nothing to go on.”

Bruce amassed a record of 18-70 as head coach, unable to lead the Bulldogs to state. His teams went 15-29 in the past two seasons, and more than 30 girls were in the program for the first time in years.

Bruce was the head boys basketball coach for one season and an assistant for another before taking over the girls program. He said seeing the kids grow and develop and really buying into what it takes to be successful were the biggest highlights.

He also mentioned the challenges of coaching basketball at a school that doesn’t have a history of success at the state level.

“This is a soccer and volleyball town and basketball is kind of the black sheep, so it takes some effort,” said Bruce, who was active for much of the year with AAU and City Rec hoops. “I increased the numbers and did everything the school asked of me, which is part of why it was such a blow.”

Albertson opted not to comment when asked about Bruce’s firing. The head coaching job was officially posted within the school district, and Albertson and future athletic director Kris Knowles will look at possible candidates until the position closes on April 20.