Jake Wortinger was varsity assistant last year;
has more than 40 years of coaching experience
including 18 years as middle school coach at G-A
has more than 40 years of coaching experience
including 18 years as middle school coach at G-A
By Bruce Rolfe
Jake Wortinger, a 1980 G-A High School graduate and varsity assistant coach last year under former varsity coach Lindsey Newton, was selected as the new girls varsity basketball coach a week ago.
Wortinger has 42 years of coaching experience between G-A and Portage Northern in a variety of sports, however the majority of those years have been spent coaching basketball including 18 years as a middle school basketball coach at G-A.
Because he was a varsity assistant coach last year and has worked with the middle school teams, he is familiar with the returners and players who will be moving into the high school girls basketball program in the future. He has also been long term substitute teacher at G-A.
He felt the timing was right to apply for the position after Newton stepped down when she was named G-A’s new superintendent earlier in June, “I know the kids and felt like it was a group I would like to work with,” said Wortinger, who joked that he is coaching players whose parents were players he coached years ago.
Wortinger has spent three years as a middle school coach at Portage Northern, however he has also coached several years of basketball at the high school level, which includes two years as the freshman boy’s coach at G-A, three years as the freshman girl’s coach at Portage Northern, three years as the boy’s JV coach at Portage Northern, and three years as a assistant varsity coach between G-A and Portage Northern.
Wortinger said two players he coached in basketball at Portage Northern are now playing major league baseball - Tommy Henry, a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Max Schuemann, a shortstop for the Oakland A’s. He said Schuemann and Wortinger’s son played on the same travel baseball team for a period of time.
The new Lady Ram varsity basketball coach said he will be emphasizing fundamentals.
“You can’t put the cart before the horse. You’ve got to be able to handle the ball and I’m defensive minded. I don’t do a lot of complicated things but I want to do them well. We want to get up and down the floor,” said Wortinger.
“We like to press, we like to get after it. The big thing is getting into basketball shape,” adds the new Lady Ram coach.
Wortinger believes a core group of five seniors who all started at some point during the season last year, along with his other returners eager to make contributions, should help make the team competitive.
“I think if we clamp down defensively we can compete for a league title. That’s what we’re striving for,” said Wortinger, who said he has already held summer workout events and will have a summer camp soon.
The new G-A coach adds he plans to keep it simple when it comes to running the offense.
“I’ve been at all levels. I think that helps me. But I don’t do a whole lot different that I did at the 7th grade level for boys or girls. You expand it a little bit,” offered Wortinger.
Wortinger is a third generation G-A graduate and his wife, along with the couple’s two daughters and son are also graduates of G-A.
Wortinger jokes the first basketball team he coached at G-A as a 7th grade coach had current G-A Athletic Director Mike Woodard on the team.
When he coached JV softball at G-A one of his players was current superintendent Lindsey Newton.
A 1980 graduate of G-A, Wortinger was also the varsity baseball coach at G-A for a period of time.
“I’m excited to do it. It keeps me young. I’m looking forward to it,” said Wortinger.
Wortinger said Dale Martin will return as a varsity assistant and Lauren Coleman will be a varsity assistant. Dontrell Bowden will return as the JV coach.
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