THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: With addition of Ulrich, Lewiston’s loss turning into Post Falls’ gain

These days, Jayson Ulrich does much of his work in auxiliary gyms, away from the main stage.

As the head coach of the Post Falls High junior varsity boys basketball team, he also sits on the bench for the Trojans’ varsity games, has some coaching duties with the varsity, watches some film, does some scouting — and is welcome to chip in an idea or two.

“I joke around with these guys (Post Falls coaches), not being a head coach has added at least six months to my life,” said Ulrich, the former Lewiston High boys head coach. “Less stress. I don’t have to worry about as much, you get to just go out and coach the kids, you don’t have to worry about all the other aspects of running a 5A program, which can be very stressful and take a toll. I’m grateful to take a step back, and still be able to give the input when needed and wanted.”

Quite the change from last year, when Ulrich coached the only team in the state to beat the juggernaut that is Lake City High during the regular season.

But after 21 years coaching in the Lewiston High boys basketball program, including the last eight as head coach (and a 100-80 career record), his resignation at the end of last year’s 17-7 season was a bit of an eye-opener.

At least on the outside.

“I don’t think it’s any big secret that one school board member basically didn’t want me to be the coach anymore … I don’t think that’s a big secret,” said Ulrich, 46. “There’s a lot of rumors, but really, all I cared about was coaching the kids, and at the end of the day, it was more about the kids than it was about me and my family, so I needed to walk away from it.”

And that “walk” eventually took him to Post Falls, as the boys JV coach, with longtime JV coach Brian Carlson becoming varsity assistant to Trojans head coach Mike McLean.

“I think that’s a huge pickup for our kids and our program to get somebody with his wealth of basketball knowledge and experience helping them,” McLean said earlier this season.

JAYSON ULRICH played at Lewiston High for coach Dick Richel, graduating in 1995. A non-teacher, he worked at Lewis-Clark State College in the early part of his career, running the campus rec department.

The last four years, he was recreation supervisor for the city of Lewiston.

After he stepped down from the Bengals’ head job, he didn’t know what was next.

“When coaching’s in your blood for 21 years, it’s hard to all of a sudden stop, and I still felt like I had something to offer, because I instantly had multiple offers from coaches around the state, both in high school and college, that wanted me to coach with them,” Ulrich said.

He started looking around for jobs in his recreation field, and as it turned out, North Idaho College had an opening as coordinator of its student wellness and recreation program.

“And I’ve known Mike, because we played against each other (McLean also graduated in 1995, from Post Falls), and he made me a better coach, and I hope I’ve made him a better coach,” Ulrich said. “I called him up and said, ‘Well, I’m close to moving up here, do you have any openings on your staff, or volunteer, and he’s like, ‘Yeah, I have an opening on my staff. I’ll take you in a heartbeat.’”

“I’ve always had the utmost respect for MIke and his program,” Ulrich added. “I think we have very similar styles, where it’s kind of old-school. And I’ve had a blast this year, with him and Brian.”

“It was a no-brainer for me,” McLean recalled. “His teams down there were more prepared for us than anybody we’ve played against, they make subtle changes, and they’re so well prepared. I’m a firm believer when you have an asset like that, that’s a possible addition … I’m jumping full in to get him on board, which is a positive thing for Post Falls basketball. In my opinion, they’re getting a top-5 coach in the state in the last decade.

“To say I’m ecstatic to get him is an understatement.”

Ulrich, in fact, attended NIC after graduating from Lewiston, working in the intramural/rec sports program under Paul Manzardo, the longtime baseball coach and football and basketball official, who still works at NIC.

“That’s what kept me in recreation,” Ulrich said of Manzardo and his days as an NIC student. “It’s kinda gone full circle.”

GOING FROM coaching against McLean to coaching with him has been a seamless transition.

“We do very similar things,” Ulrich said. “And I think the best part is, he gives me a voice in the program, to implement things. He’s a great listener; if you have an idea, he’s going to listen to you. But I’ve learned a ton about what he’s done over the years to have success … working with him, he’s helped me grow tremendously this year, and I hope I’ve helped him. We’ve got good, hard-working kids. He delivers his message a little bit differently than mine … I’m a little louder, and crazy on the sidelines. He’s a little more calm. I wear my emotions a little more on my sleeves … but when you talk Xs and Os, and what you demand from your players, it’s very similar.”

Jayson and his wife, Joy, have three children. The lone son, Ryland, is a sophomore on the Post Falls JV boys basketball team coached by … his dad. They also have a daughter attending Boise State, as well as a girl in the fourth grade.

Twice this season — so far — Ulrich has sat on the Post Falls bench and tried to help the team he coaches this year beat the team he coached the past eight years.

“It was tough at first, but these Post Falls students, and the coaching staff, they welcomed me and my son into the program with open arms, and instantly gave us some loyalty and some belonging,” Ulrich said. “I still feel like I have to prove to the kids and the coaching staff constantly … but it’s tough to see those kids across the way, and not be cheering for them anymore, when you’re competing against them. I still wish them the best … I just don’t root for them when they play Post Falls.

“The story that a tiger can’t change its stripes is totally false — I am no longer a Bengal, I am a Post Falls Trojan,” Ulrich said.

MIKE McLEAN has made no secret of it for years — currently in his 16th season, he has said when Trenton, a sophomore and his third and final son, graduates, Mike will step down as coach.

So if you connect the dots, by that time there would be a coach already on staff with head coaching experience, with three years’ experience coaching in the Trojans’ program …

Not that Craig Christensen, longtime athletic director at Post Falls, needs any help hiring coaches, but …

“I’ll tell you what, if Jayson Ulrich is the next boys basketball coach at Post Falls High School, that is a huge win for Post Falls High School,” McLean said. “And as an old guy that’s looking to get out someday from coaching, to be able to hand those reins off to somebody like that, to build on what we’ve put a lot of effort and sweat and tears into, is a very satisfying feeling.”

But that decision is at least a couple years down the road.

Plus, who knows what can happen between now and then.

“I haven’t really addressed it, and I’ve got to see how my job at NIC plays out, if I’m even able to do something like that,” Ulrich said. “Would I love to be a head coach again? I’ve done it for long enough, and had some success with it … yeah, I’d love to be a head coach again. Would I try to replace Mike? I think it’s hard to replace Mike, when he’s got two state titles, and is pretty much a Post Falls legend.

“That didn’t weigh into me by going to Post Falls; I wanted to be part of a good coaching staff and a good program that has the history and legacy. If that works out down the road, great. But I’m going to do the same thing, coaching wise, and approaching the game, and teaching kids, and helping them, whether I’m the head coach or not. If it happens, it happens, but it wasn’t the reason I picked Post Falls.”

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.