Schauer takes Kamiak job

It seems a game of musical chairs is under way in the Western Conference.

Girls basketball coaches Jody Schauer and Branda Anderson have left old jobs for new ones, but neither of them ventured far.

Schauer, formerly head coach at Lynnwood High School, accepted June 22 the head girls basketball coaching position at Kamiak. He replaces Anderson, who in April resigned from Kamiak after the 2006-2007 season.

It didn’t take Anderson long to find a new position, though. She was hired Monday to be Monroe High’s head girls hoops coach replacing longtime coach Alan Dickson, who in May resigned after guiding the Bearcats for 13 seasons.

Schauer’s new job keeps him in the Wesco South. But he jumped from Lynnwood, a Class 3A school where he coached for three seasons, to 4A Kamiak, which last season was 13-10, placed third in the division and advanced to the 4A Northwest District tournament.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for me. It’s a job where there’s so much of an upside — just a lot of potential there,” said Schauer.

Schauer made a powerful first impression, Kamiak post Julia Church said.

“I could tell right when he walked in the door (for the interview) and shook my hand that he would be a great fit for the program,” said Church.

Lynnwood was 6-57 in three seasons under Schauer, including a 4-17 record in his final season. He said his experience at Lynnwood was the most valuable of his 20-year coaching career. Deciding to leave “was really tough,” he said. “Probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was tell my Lynnwood kids that I wasn’t coming back.”