Hawks hoops coaches resign

HOUSTON — Sometimes even the most devoted coaches need to take a step away.

Call it a time out.

After six years at the helm of the Houston High School boys basketball program, Dave Porter has decided to step down as head coach of the Hawks.

“It is time for a break. I need to rejuvenate,” Porter said Saturday. “I don’t want to walk out disliking the game. I love the game of basketball and want to come back with a renewed energy.”

Porter’s longtime assistant, Curt Youngberg, has also decided to resign his position.

The decisions come on the heel of Houston’s final season in the Mid-Alaska Conference, playing at the 4A level. The Hawks finished second in the MAC, falling to Lathrop in the conference championship game. Beginning next season, the Hawks will drop to the 3A Southcentral Conference.

Houston head coach Norm Bouchard said the decision to leave the program was made by Porter and Youngberg and credited the pair for their devotion to Houston High athletics.

“He’s been a fantastic ambassador for Houston High,” Bouchard said of Porter. “He’s always got a positive thing to say about our kids. Financially, or giving his time, he does whatever it takes. Those people are rare.”

Bouchard also commended Youngberg, who has spent nearly 20 years working with the Houston boys and girls basketball programs.

“He’s a huge part of it. You don’t find assistant coaches with that kind of experience,” Bouchard said of Youngberg. “Everyone respected Curt.”

Bouchard said he would love to see both coaches remain with the program.

“We support anything Mr. Porter does. We’d welcome him back right now,” Bouchard said.

Porter said he’s enjoyed his six years with the program and is proud of the accomplishments of his teams, but feels this is an appropriate time to step away. Porter said as the program stands now, he feels it might be positive for some new blood to come in and try to help take the Hawks to the next level.

“I feel like the better thing is to let somebody else come in and try. I want what’s best for the program,” Porter said.

Porter said he’s also immersed himself in coaching for more than a decade.

“Part of it is, I didn’t coach just basketball, but football and baseball. I’ve been doing that for the last 15 years,” Porter said. “It wears you out.”

Porter said there are other things he’d like to have time for.

“I told my wife, I’m going to take her to Hawaii over Christmas and she about fell over,” Porter joked.

Porter is also the president and one of the founders of the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches.

“I want to pour my heart and soul into the coaches association. I want to help this thing grow,” Porter said.

AABC recently released its plan for its second-annual senior all-star games, and announced the boys and girls roster. He said a number of the athletes named to the team will not be able to attend because of travel costs. Porter said it’s his goal to start raising money to ensure players in need will be able to travel to the association’s all-star games in the future.

Porter said he’s enjoyed the relationships he’s built as Houston’s head coach, particularly with Youngberg.

“He’s been my right-hand guy and we’ve become great friends,” Porter said. “When I told him what I was thinking, he said we’re a package deal. That says a ton about his loyalty.”

Even though Porter will not anchor the Houston bench next season, he will not stray far from local gymnasiums.

“I’ll still be around the game, watching a ton of basketball,” Porter said.

Porter has also been an assistant with the Houston baseball program, but said he’ll most likely make a clean break from coaching, at least temporarily.

“I’ll probably take a year off,” Porter said.

But the key word is temporary.

“I am by no means retiring,” Porter said. “I’m going to take a break and look forward to the next opportunity that presents itself in the Valley. I don’t want to leave the Valley, and I look forward to coaching again.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.