Brought together

PALMER — Lyle Busbey was filled with mixed emotions as he walked into the Palmer High School gymnasium on Tuesday night.

For about a decade Busbey called that gym and the bench on the far side of the Palmer floor home. But on Tuesday, instead of making the longer walk to the far sidelines, something he had done hundreds of times before, Busbey instead made the short stroll to the opponent’s row of seats.

Busbey, the longtime head coach of the Palmer Moose girls basketball program, entered the school as a member of the Colony High School girls coaching staff.

“I guess you can call it bittersweet,” said Busbey, who served as a head coach at Palmer from 1994-2004. “It’s bittersweet when you spent so much time on the sidelines here. But basketball’s basketball, just different colors.”

Busbey enjoyed a tremendous run during his time as head coach. He helped the Moose win instantly, leading his teams to the Region III title game in each of his first four years as head coach.

His crowning moment leading the program came in 1999 when his Moose scored an unforgettable 44-43 win over Colony in the 4A state championship game.

That victory came against the man he now sits alongside on the Colony bench, Don Witzel.

“I think we always had a really good respect for each other,” Busbey said. “We knew it was going to be a war.”

And wars they were; epic basketball battles that rank high on the list of moments in the history of Mat-Su Valley girls prep basketball.

Busbey led his teams to the region title game in each of his first four years. And in each of those years, Busbey’s Moose faced Witzel’s Knights.

Palmer and Colony also played twice in state title games. Colony edged the Moose 37-35 in 1996, while the Moose cut down the nets in 1999.

Now that wealth of experience, highlighted by numerous trips to region title games and state tournaments, has come together on the Colony sidelines.

Witzel is the elder statesman of Valley basketball, holding his position as head coach of the Colony girls basketball program since 1994.

He started his run with six straight region titles and sprinkled in three 4A state championships.

The 2006-07 season marked the first time in 14 years a Witzel team did not advance to the state tournament.

Busbey manned the sidelines at Palmer from 1994-2004. Shortly before the 2004-05 season, the Palmer High School administration adopted a new policy in which preference for head coaching jobs would be given to those who worked within the school.

Despite numerous trips to the region title game and a state crown, Busbey — an elementary teacher — was forced to take a step away from his prep coaching position at PHS to make room for someone who worked within the building.

At that moment he opted to take a break from coaching at the high school level and focused on his work with youth sports teams.

Busbey remained active in the youth coaching ranks during his time away from high school basketball.

But that ended in November, when Witzel came calling.

“Don gave me a call around Thanksgiving and said they were really short on coaches,” Busbey said.

The two had talked late last season as they sat in the stands watching a Palmer-Wasilla game. Busbey told Witzel if he was ever in a bind, give him a call.

So with only two coaches on his staff — assistants Tom Lincoln and Jess Clark — Witzel invited Busbey to join the program.

“It’s fun to get back on the sideline,” Busbey said. “I really appreciate the opportunity Don gave me.”

Busbey said the transition from the head coach to an assistant was different at first, but it’s something he’s adapted very easily to. Busbey traveled with the Knights to a tournament in California during the winter break. It was there were he started finding his place on Witzel’s staff.

“I was not sure what to say and when to say it, but I found out coach Witzel and I were on the same page on almost everything,” Busbey said. “What he said, I was thinking.”

Witzel said he believes Busbey has adapted easily to his new role.

“I’m sure it’s tough for someone who was a head coach for a long time to come into the new role,” Witzel said. “But he’s done a good job. He’s always right on with his information.”

Philosophically, both coaches mesh, Busbey and Witzel each said, even though in some regards, Busbey and Witzel come from different schools of basketball thought.

While Busbey often favors a more offensive-minded game plan, defense is Witzel’s forte.

“It’s been really good to come in and see how (Witzel) runs his defensive systems,” Busbey said. “I think he’s learned a little from me on the offensive end. It’s a good fit now.”

Busbey also figured out different ways he can help his new program, like doing things the head coach can’t always do.

“What I’ve been doing a lot is working with the kids on the bench,” Busbey said. “What I remember as a head coach is you’re so involved with the game, you don’t have time to go down and talk with the kids on the bench. Every time I can, if someone comes off or in certain situations, I go down and talk to the kids on the bench.”

And Witzel has given Busbey the chance to be heard, as he has done with his other assistants.

“All of my coaches are good,” Witzel said. “I give them a chance, if they’ve got something to say, say it.”

“With four coaches here, there’s sometimes (Witzel) can’t get a word in,” Busbey said with a laugh.

While Busbey may have an opportunity to be the head coach of a high school program again in the future, he said he is perfectly content where he is now in his coaching career.

“Down the road, but not right now,” Busbey said. “I’m really enjoying my role right now.”

He’s committed to his duties as a youth basketball coach — Busbey also coaches his daughter’s squad — and is excited with his work with the Knights.

“I’m having a blast right now,” Busbey said.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com