PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles found its new head girls basketball coach sitting on the boys’ bench.
The Port Angeles School District announced the selection of Michael Poindexter as the new Roughrider girls coach Wednesday afternoon.
After serving as a Rider boys junior varsity coach and varsity assistant the past three season, Poindexter decided to go back to his roots in the girls game.
He succeeds Rider girls head coach Mike Knowles, who resigned in late March.
“I’ve talked with Mike frequently during the last three years,” said Poindexter, who served as head coach of the Mark Morris (Longview) girls basketball program between 2003-08.
“It seemed like a natural move to try to make once he quit in March, but it was hard leaving the boys.
“We’ve had a nice two-year building process, and I love working with [boys head coach] Wes [Armstrong], [assistant] Brian Shirley and [assistant] Tim Ochs.
“Now that I’ve made the move I’m excited.
“It feels good. It feels like the right decision. It just took a long time to make it.”
Poindexter takes over a girls program that won at least a share of four straight Olympic League titles under Knowles.
The Riders, led by seniors Jessica Madison, Alison Knowles and Taylyn Jeffers, visited the Class 2A state tournament in the final season of that four-year run this winter.
With just two starters — Kiah Jones and Krista Johnson — returning from that team, Poindexter has some rebuilding to do.
“I know they’ve had a lot of success recently, those last three years have been good years,” said Poindexter, who’s already coached the girls in summer league games.
“I’m not going to set specific win-loss or outcome expectations. They know what a successful program and a successful season looks like.
“Right now we’re just going to have our hands full just getting kids comfortable out on the floor getting a lot of minutes.
“It will be a good thing. I think it will be fun for them.”
This won’t be the first time Poindexter has taken over a team in a rebuilding situation.
Poindexter assumed control of the Mark Morris girls program a year after a core of five seniors graduated in 2003.
He then guided the Monarchs to a 13-13 season, taking them all the way to the Class 3A state tournament for the fourth year in a row.
In his five seasons he piled up a 55-61 overall record.
Four or his five teams qualified for the district playoffs. Two others fell just one win shy of state.
“I don’t think there is a style of play so much that defines me as I like to fit the system” to the talent of the team, Poindexter said.
“We’ll play whatever the kids’ skills and tendencies lead us toward. We’re going to be pretty versatile.”
Poindexter has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Washington State.
He coached the Mark Morris freshman girls for four years in the 1980s before serving as the junior varsity coach from 1990-2003 and eventually becoming the varsity leader.
In addition to coaching the Riders boys the past three years, he’s also taught English and helped put together the high school year book.
“Coach Poindexter made a positive impression on the interview team with his enthusiasm, aspiration, and commitment, as well as his ability to articulate his knowledge of basketball X’s and O’s,” Port Angeles Athletic Director Dwayne Johnson said in a statement.
“He is a great match for the Roughrider girls basketball program, and we’re excited to welcome him and his family to the Roughrider girls basketball community.”