Credits players: Baerlocher wins second Coach of Year honors

Corey Baerlocher poses with three of his athletes and his family. From left in back are Brittany Burke, Kayleigh Maltone, Emily Shaw and Baerlocher. In front are Baerlocher’s children, Hannah, Chase and Cole.

A flash of public glory has been a long time coming for Colfax coach Corey Baerlocher, who just won the state Coach of the Year award for 2B basketball.

Baerlocher has led the Colfax High School girls basketball team to the state title for five of his past seven years as head coach.

Asked what his secret is to success, Baerlocher had a constant refrain: “Good kids.”

“I think good kids make great coaches. The kids understand what they have to do and they are willing to do the work. My part is to have high goals [set],” he said.

Baerlocher was recognized at a banquet Oct. 10 in Seattle, along with other winning coaches from around the state. He received a plaque that said, “Coach of the Year, 2009.”

The awards were given by Washington State Coaches Association.

Baerlocher is doggedly humble about the honor. Come Nov. 16, Baerlocher said the plaque is coming down off its perch at his house because that date marks the start of a new basketball season.

“Once the next season starts, it doesn’t matter what you did last year,” Baerlocher said.

Baerlocher went so far as to decline the award when he first heard about it. But after a phone call from a head at the coaches association, he wondered if it wouldn’t be better to just accept.

“He said, ‘Not all coaches get the opportunity to be recognized like that. You should really consider doing this because it doesn’t just happen all the time,’” Baerlocher said.

Colfax athletic director Mike Morgan said he was more than pleased that Baerlocher got the award.

“The thing I’ve always known about Corey is when he dives into something, it is 100 percent,” Morgan said.

Morgan said Baerlocher is ceaselessly passionate in his coaching and puts excessive amounts of time into his athletes.

“He’s got the kids best interests at heart. He’s a tireless worker. He puts in a great deal of time,” Morgan said.

This is the second time Baerlocher has won the Coach of the Year award. In 2006, the Washington State Coaches Association recognized him with the annual award in the 1A division.

“This isn’t about me. I’ve got a lot of kids that go to battle every year for me and for the Colfax program. It’s not about me. I don’t want the recognition. It’s all about the kids that have worked hard,”

Baerlocher said.