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New team, same feeling

NEW TEAM, SAME FEELING

Chad Wintz slept just fine last night. Yes, Monday was the first day of high school basketball practice across Kansas, which meant Monday was Wintz’s first official practice as the Hutchinson High boys coach. Except for a two-year stint as Hutchinson Middle School boys coach from 2009-2011, Wintz hasn’t coached basketball since 2006, when he was the Hutchinson Community College men’s coach. Other coaches in a similar situation may have suffered a restless night the day before practice started. “I don’t have any problem sleeping,” Wintz said with a smile. “It doesn’t matter if I’m coaching now or Hutchinson Middle School six, seven years ago. You try to help kids, help them understand why we’re doing things the way we’re doing them, why every detail is important.” The details will be important for the Salthawks this season. Coming off a 4-17 season where they graduated their three leading scorers – including Wintz’s son Turner, as well as Trent Webster and Ryan Stoecklein – the Salthawks have much to learn. They’re learning Wintz’s system and a new way of doing things. Wintz isn’t delusional to think that come Hutchinson’s season opener Dec. 8 against Andover Central that the Salthawks will be a well-oiled machine. Heck, that probably won’t be the case come the first game of 2016 either. “We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Wintz said. “It’ll be slow at first, especially with all the numbers we have out, but I’m encouraged by the number of guys trying out. We’re going to build the foundation every day, one brick at a time. It’s real important not to overlook the details, to be in a hurry. Any time you’re implementing a new system, a new way of doing things, it’s going to take time.” The Salthawks spent some time with Wintz during the summer at camps and tournaments, so Monday wasn’t like stepping into a foreign country. “I think (Wintz) is going to bring a lot of intensity to the bench,” said senior guard Jack Howard, one of two returning starters. “He expects a lot out of us. It’s going to be a different style of play, more up-tempo instead of a slow tempo and getting into our sets.” Learning and getting used to Wintz’s style is what these first few weeks will be for. And while the players are new to Wintz, and the Salthawk Activity Center is a new backdrop, it’s still just basketball to Wintz. “It feels exactly the same,” Wintz said. “It doesn’t matter what level you’re coaching at. Ball coaches are ball coaches.”

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