Former Spartan Fulp new football coach at Lake City

PRIEST RIVER — Priest River sports fans will recognize the name of the new Lake City football coach, as Brian Fulp was named the Timberwolves interim head coach recently.

Fulp, 27, is young for a head coach but was the best fit to replace Bryce Erickson just a month before the season starts, according to Lake City athletic director Jim Winger.

“We feel with the timing, Brian is a good fit,” Winger said. “He’s young, but very knowledgeable and organized. We need some stability, and he brings that.”

Fulp was head junior varsity football coach at Lake City last fall, after working as an offensive assistant on the JV in 2016. He coached JV boys basketball last season (under Winger, also the head boys basketball coach) and has been an assistant track and field coach the past three seasons under Reed.

“I’m excited,” said Fulp, a University of Idaho graduate. “I think that we have a great foundation in place in order to move forward and be successful. We have a very experienced staff, which I’m going to lean on heavily.”

Fulp will be only the third head coach at Lake City since the school opened in 1994 — but he will be the Timberwolves’ third head coach in four seasons.

Because of the lateness of the hire, Winger said the school opted to make Fulp “interim” head coach this season — essentially giving him a season to prove himself. Administrators will evaluate him at the end of the season.

“Brian’s going to have every chance to remove that (interim) tag,” Winger said. “I’m not looking for somebody else; I have a ton of confidence in Brian.”

Fulp was named acting head coach when Erickson resigned, so even though the hiring process stretched out a bit, he’s essentially been in charge of the program for more than a month — overseeing the summer conditioning program, and guiding the T-Wolves at a team camp at the University of Idaho in June.

“We’re going to be very disciplined,” Fulp said of his team. “Football, and especially high school football, is more than just the game — it’s building character and traits that are going to last a lifetime.”

Fulp played quarterback and safety at Priest River. His dad, Ralph, coached football and other sports at Cusick (Wash.), and is proud to see his son follow in his coaching footsteps.

“I’m really proud. I’m kind of nervous, there is a lot of pressure there,” said Ralph, who still lives in Priest River. “He loves it and is fired up about it.”