Peters named WHS girls basketball coach

Whitefish High School assistant girls basketball coach Clint Peters is expected to be hired as the next head coach of the varsity girls basketball team.

The Whitefish School Board was set to approve his contract at the July 9 meeting.

The head varsity coaching position was left vacant when the contracts for former head coach Sean Duff and assistant Megan Pepe weren’t renewed this spring.

Peters, 32, was an assistant coach under Duff for two seasons, and an assistant with the boys team for three seasons.

He is a 1999 graduate of Whitefish High School and played varsity basketball for the Bulldogs under coach Julio Delgado. He attended North Dakota State College of Science and played one season of basketball before he was sidelined after having back surgery.

Peters is currently employed as a sergeant with the Whitefish Police Department.

“We’re very excited about the hire,” said Whitefish athletic director Aric Harris. “He’s familiar with the program and knows the athletes. It’s a great fit because of his familiarity.”

Peters says there’s nowhere else he’d rather coach.

“That Whitefish tradition runs deep,” he said.

Harris was impressed by Peters’ confidence and energy during the interview process.

“This is the spark we need,” Harris said. “Clint is high-energy and the kids feed off that. He’s huge on accountability and that’s what we need with any high school sport.”

Harris says Peters will stress fundamentals while employing a fast-paced offense.

“They’ll be fun to watch,” he said.

The Lady Bulldogs have struggled to find the winning tradition in recent years. The team won eight games total over the past four seasons, and they finished the 2013 season 1-19 overall and 1-7 in the conference.

“Clint understands where the program is now and where it needs to be,” Harris said.

He expects the program will improve this season.

“Expectations are to be competitive,” Harris said. “We’re not asking him to win the division, but to show progress throughout the season and a constant desire to get better and learn and improve. We’ll build off each step we take.”

Peters says he’s up for the challenge.

“It’s a clean slate,” he said. “We have an opportunity to do some great things.”

“We want to win basketball games and bring back the crowds we had back in the day.”