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RHS: Boys Basketball Lemmens Returns Home to Coach Hodag Basketball By Jeremy Mayo      Derek Lemmens, seen here playing in the 2009 HodagSports.com Alumni Basketball Tournament, goes from a former RHS Player to a RHS Head Coach, accepting the Boys Basketball position vacated by Rich Fortier (Casey Mayo photo). RHINELANDER – Following in the footsteps of the man that was his head coach, RHS Alum and former RHS Boys Basketball Assisitant Derek Lemmens is returning to his hometown as the new head coach of Hodag Hoops. The RHS Activities Department announced the hiring Friday afternoon, ending a 16-day search to replace Rich Fortier, who excepted the Prinicpal/AD role at Arbor Vitae/Woodruff Elementary School.      “This is absolutely excellent, in my opinion for Rhinelander,” says RHS AD Charlie LaHam. “We brought one of our own back, a graduate, a kid who played here and helped out (this program). Now I think he's going to (help) all over again. He brings excitement. He's high energy. Combine those and I think you've got a real good selection here.” Lemmens, a class of 2001 grad, played college basketball at UW-Stevens Point, had a stint overseas serving out country in the War on Terror and has served as an assistant coach for SPASH, Rhinelander and most recently Wisconsin Rapids. Lemmens says he was surprised that this job opened up and that he jumped at the opportunity. “To be able to coach where you played and grew up, I really didn't expect an opportunity like this,” he says. “I figured Rich would be coaching for a while. To have him make this move opened up an opportunity that I never really expected.” LaHam says Lemmens was chosen over former St. John's (MN) University Basketball Player Craig Schaffer and Northland Pines head coach Ryan Clark. RHS Assistant Coach Josh Jaeger did not apply for the position. “He's got a plan in place,” LaHam says. “He thought about this you can tell. He's a guy that puts a plan in place and works his (butt) off. That's a measure of success to me. “He's got a plan to work with all coaches at all youth levels to show them the drills and the things that he wants taught at whatever age level. He plans to work the tournaments and have his coaches involved along with the kids on the basketball team. Those things were big to me.” Adds Lemmens, “What you put in is what you're going to get out. If you don't put time into the youth program, you're not going to get quality players down the line. I think it's extremely important to build a strong youth program. From there, that's going to be what feeds you varsity. To have them be consistently successful, you have to have a solid youth program.” As far as his style, Lemmens says he has learned from two coaches with State Tournament appearances on their resumes – Fortier, and Rapids head man Dan Witter. “One thing I learned it that there are a million ways to be successful,” he says. “Doing things the way that works best for you is what is going to get you the most success. Coach Witter has a different personality that Coach Fortier and both have been successful. I saw things from two totally different styles and I think that help me shape my own.” Lemmens recalls what makes the man he's replacing such a good coach. “Those are big footsteps,” Lemmens says of Fortier's. “We had an eight year span where it was three times state and five times sectional finals. Postseason success in Rhinelander hasn't been there lately, but it was there. I worked with a lot of good coaches and I feel Richie is one of the best in game coaches that I've encountered. He gets a lot out of the players.” Rhinelander is in the midst of some lean years, with just 15 wins over the last three seasons. However, only four seniors are gone from last year's squad and the JV squad coming up is fortified with talent, having won 15 games alone last year. “I'm extremely excited for what we have,” says Lemmens. “The varsity has a lot of returning players and I think there's a lot to work with. For a first time head coach, you rarely get to walk into a position where you really do have an opportunity to be successful. A lot times, you walk into empty cabinets where coaches were fired and morale is at a low, but I walked into what I feel is a really good situation and I have a lot of talent to work with and a lot of good players.”

Hodag Sports Library

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Search to Begin Shortly for Fortier's Replacement      After 14 seasons of consistency with Rich Fortier, Rhinelander's Boys Basketball Bench will have a new leader this winter. With the start of the school year fast approaching and the Boys Basketball se

Fortier Takes AVW Job, Steps Down as RHS Boys Hoops Coach      RHINELANDER – RHS Boys Basketball Coach Rich Fortier told HodagSports.com Wednesday afternoon that he has accepted the job as Principal in the Arbor Vitae/Woodruff School and will step down as RHS Boy

Rhinelander Team Takes Second at Gus Macker      WAUSAU - A group of four RHS Boys Basketball Players took second place over this past weekend at the annual Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. The group (from left to right) of Cale Henk

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