Dakota Nichols is S-B Class of 2012 graduate

Now approaching the start of basketball season, Stanley-Boyd Oriole fans can expect plenty of game action, along with a new head coach for the varsity.

Dakota Nichols, a Stanley-Boyd Class of 2012 grad and C team basketball coach from last year, will take over the program from Tom Hause, who retired from coaching fol –

lowing the 2021-22 season.

Becoming a certified personal trainer un –

der the National Association of Sport Med – icine (NSM) while still in college, Nichols created a strength and conditioning program for the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (UWEC) Women's volleyball team prior to graduating and has also coached Track and Field. Married to wife Juliana with a five- month-old daughter, Nichols spent time at Green Bay after college before returning home.

"We moved to Green Bay (after college) where I was a personal trainer at Xperience Fitness," he said. "I was able to train high school athletes and help adults with weight loss. I have always had a passion for sports, especially for the game of basketball. Last year, I was asked to coach the boys C team and I knew right away that I wanted to con- tinue coaching basketball," he said, then go ing on “Sports in general are so important and teach very valuable life lessons that these kids will be able to use forever," Nichols said. "My goal as the head coach is to not only make them better basketball players, but to prepare them for life after high school. I want to create an environment that is fun and competitive." Also saying he wanted to get involved with younger players to develop a strong and sustained basketball program, Nichols made comparison to teams at Fall Creek and Chippewa Falls.

"When you hear Fall Creek or McDonell, people typically say that they have a good basketball team every year – that's what I want people to think of when they hear Stan – ley-Boyd." With practice just begun and an official roster with team starters still to come, the Orioles start their season in a tournament at Wausau West Nov. 25 and 26. Varsity game play starts at 6 p.m.