Vikings get new basketball coach

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

It has been nearly three months since Jim Epperly resigned as head coach of the Bigfork High School boys' basketball team, and the school has finally found his replacement. Lyle Whiteman, who has held the position for two separate stints is taking back the program.

Whiteman said he was busy most of the summer and was very surprised to hear that the position was still open, so he decided to apply a few weeks ago.

"I've always really missed it," Whiteman said. "I love coaching basketball. When you're retired you've got a lot more free time to do other things and that's great too, but I've really missed coaching."

He was the boys' coach from the 1981-82 season to the 1986-87 season and then from 1991-92 season to the 1994-95 season. During his first coaching term Whiteman led his team to state three of the five years, and placed second and third two of those years.

Whiteman has also been an assistant, junior varsity and middle school boys basketball coach, as well as a middle school football and track coach.

"I'm looking forward to preparing for practice and the evaluation of the players," Whiteman said. "Also, just getting to be able to be on the sideline and on the bench during the game."

Even though Whiteman's first two coaching terms ended in dismissal, he said he is still really looking forward to coaching the boys.

"I know it will be a lot of work and it will be time consuming, but I'm really looking forward to it," Whiteman said.

Whiteman hasn't done any coaching since the 1994-95 season besides the season he put in as a volunteer co-coach in 2003 for the eighth grade boys team.

He spends his free time working outdoors, gardening, fishing, traveling and serving as the state president of the Ministry of the Gideons International. Whiteman said that his term as president is ending this fall, which will allow him the time to return to coaching. His wife Marcia was a teacher in the Bigfork Schools for 26 years, teaching mostly high school business. She also served as the cheer-leading coach.

He was a full time teacher for Bigfork Schools for 23 years, teaching mostly middle school math. He became semi-retired six years ago, but continues to teach Title I math to mostly third through sixth graders.

"I love the game itself," Whiteman said. "I've always enjoyed coaching kids of all ages because of the interaction you get to have with the kids outside of the classroom. There is more discipline, but there is also more closeness."

Whiteman was selected for the position, in part, by activities director Matt Jensen, who said that they are "very excited to have Lyle take the boys program. We are encouraged that he has a strong relationship with the community. He is very eager to get to know the boys and get off to a good season."

Whiteman said that he is not familiar with the players on the boys' team since he has made a point to stay away from the gym because he misses coaching so much, and has been keeping busy with his other activities.

"That's not all bad though," Whiteman said. "That means I have no preconceived ideas about any of the players."

Whiteman said he will be holding open gyms in the coming weeks to get acquainted with the players.