EAST GRAND FORKS — Destry Sterkel has coached Sacred Heart for 9 years, after playing college basketball at Dickinson State, he traded in his jersey for a clipboard..
"I tried to treat it like a college program." Sterkel said "I was real strict with him and got after him. And you quickly learned that's just not the right way to do it."
Coach Sterkel has learned that the players need to have fun to get results.
Senior Center Landen Denney shared "He makes everyone feel comfortable, going into games no one's worried about if you make a mistake, Coach is going to take you out. He understands what's going on, he knows all about you."
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How does Sterkel know this new approach is working? Former players are now on his coaching staff.
"I love doing it because I know what I'm getting as a person" he said "They know my system they know what we like to do. This program is all about having fun and trying to try to do the little things to the best of our ability and and having those guys on the staff makes it that much easier."
"We all have a really good relationship with them. They're really good coaches first of all, and they're really personable." Junior Guard Josiah Sundby said "You get to know him although so but they've been in the offense for a while they know just as well as us and I think it all just ties together and it just goes great."
Coach Sterkel doesn’t take all the credit, he says the community plays a larger role…
"You get both feet in this school and you show Sacred Heart that you’re all in… You have them for life…"
The Trust Project
