Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
As the Tekoa-Rosalia High School sports combination nears its launch in late August, coaches are being hired for the new fall teams.
In June, Bob Bucsko was hired from Olympia to be the football coach while Alisa Druffel will take over as head volleyball coach after assisting last year. Her assistant will be Jodi Heitstuman.
The boys basketball coach position is open after the Tekoa-Rosalia combination did not renew the contract of Pat Brown, who coached Rosalia last year. For the girls, Rob Huskins will return from last year’s Rosalia team with Alisa Druffel as assistant.
Bucsko takes over for Kaleb Madison, Rosalia High School’s Athletic Director, who coached the Spartans’ lone year in 1B, eight-man football, finishing in the 2013 state quarterfinals. Madison cited family obligations and helping his brother establish a baseball academy in Spokane as reasons to bow out.
"Bob’s a great guy, he brings a good enthusiasm to the program," Madison said.
Bucsko, a 26-year head high school football coach, comes to Rosalia after a long career at schools from Yakima to Okanagan, Blaine, Wash. and St. Maries, Idaho.
"I went to a lot of different schools because of problems in their program," Bucsko said.
He got into coaching after 13 years as a probation and parole officer in law enforcement. He also taught throughout his coaching career – social studies and physical education/weightlifting.
After retiring in 1996 from Okanagan, Bucsko got a call from St. Maries, Idaho in 2002, where he coached two more years. In the winter months, Buscko and wife Jann travel to Arizona.
Now they have an apartment in Rosalia and plan to stay here through the extended season.
This year, Bucsko opened the weight room on July 8.
"We’re working three days a week," he said.
Bucsko’s playing days included two years at Gray’s Harbor Junior College, where he played for coach Jack Elway, the father of Stanford University and Denver Broncos legend John.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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