GOSHEN COUNTY – Goshen County winter sports teams continued to sweep the postseason awards with four coaches and coaching staffs recognized as coaches of the year by their peers in the Wyoming Coaches Association (WCA) and SEWAC.

The WCA honored the Lingle-Fort Laramie (LFL) Lady Doggers coaching staff led by Susan Bartel as the 1A Southeast girls’ basketball coach of the year.

LFL Doggers basketball coach Chris Cook and staff earned both the WCA’s 1A Southeast and SEWAC boys basketball coach of the year awards.

SEWAC also named Lingle-Fort Laramie/Southeast (LFL/SE) wrestling coach Brian Gifford and staff as the boys and girls wrestling coaches of the year.

Rounding out the accolades, Torrington High School Lady Blazers head coach Chris Strampe captured the 3A East coach of the year award from the WCA.

Lady Doggers coaching staff

Bartel and assistant coach Kim Cooper guided the Lady Doggers to the No. 1 spot in the 1A Southeast conference at the conclusion of the regular season with a 19-3 overall record.

LFL battled back from a setback in the semifinals at the 1A East regional tournament in Upton to defeat Hanna-Elk Mountain (68-35) in the consolation semis and clinch a berth to state.

The Lady Doggers advanced to the third-place game at regionals against Niobrara County. LFL routed the Lady Tigers by a 68-35 margin to bag the 1A East bronze trophy.

“The 1A coach of the year award is a reflection on our outstanding 10-0 record in the (1A Southeast) conference,” Bartel said. “Our team worked together to successfully compete in these games. We are fortunate to have such a great group of girls.”

Doggers coaching staff

The Doggers rewrote LFL basketball history following an exceptional season led by coach Cook and assistants Neil Baker and Jeshua Arnusch.

“I had the privilege to work with two great guys – Neil Baker and Jesh Arnusch – all year,” Cook said. “We were able to put together an incredible undefeated season and the first state championship in 35 years at LFL.”

Baker brought 34 years of coaching experience to the table.

“Neil has a wealth of basketball knowledge and he brought a fresh set of eyes to the program,” Cook said. “His enthusiasm every day was infectious.”

Arnusch took on a new role as the Doggers’ defensive coordinator.

“(Arnusch) broke down the fundamentals and helped build our guys’ knowledge and confidence of how team defense should be played,” Cook remarked.

LFL’s solid defense throughout the season set the Doggers apart from other teams and was the “final step” to the state title, Cook said.

“With the trust for their teammates to do their job on the defensive end, I believe this carried over to the offensive end,” Cook added. “(The athletes) were more willing than ever to make the next pass to a teammate and give up a good shot for a great shot, resulting in us being the best shooting team in Wyoming for all classes.”

Cook found inspiration in a presentation by University of Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule emphasizing “mission over ego.”

“Our guys and coaches embraced this mindset,” Cook said. “We have really good players, but when they played together on both ends of the floor, they were truly something special.”

LFL/SE wrestling staff

The LFL/SE coaching staff led both the girls and boys wrestling teams through a successful winter season, including a fifth-place finish for the LFL/SE girls at the 4A East regional tournament in Cheyenne. The LFL/SE boys clinched sixth place at the 2A state championships a week later.

Gifford expressed gratitude to assistant coaches Chris McNees and John Gibson 

“My coaching staff does an excellent job working with our student athletes on a day-in and day-out basis,” Gifford said. “They are truly caring individuals and want to see our athletes succeed on and off the mat. They do a lot of work behind the scenes and I ask a lot of them. They are very deserving of this award.”

Credit for the award ultimately lay in the “work ethic and commitment” of each athlete on the team, Gifford remarked.

“The athletes strive to improve and get better each day,” Gifford added. “Without that level of commitment, we (the coaches) would not be able to help them reach their full potential. It is truly a team effort to be able to accomplish something like this.”

Lady Blazers coach Chris Strampe

Strampe reflected on the Lady Blazers’ “excellent conference season” and Torrington’s 9-1 conference record. 

The Lady Blazers’ success was a full team effort, Strampe noted, through the “hard work and dedication” of “many different individuals.”

The athletes topped of Strampe’s list. 

“They are the ones putting in the work every night to make sure we live up to the standards we have set for Trailblazer basketball,” Strampe said. “Great players make great coaches and the young women we have on this team are not only great basketball players but more importantly great human beings. I could not be prouder of how our seniors have carried on the legacy of players before the and guided this team to where it is today.”

Strampe served as an assistant coach for nine years under Jeff Halley. Strampe thanked Halley for the opportunity to “work with and learn from an impactful coach and even better friend.”

The Lady Blazers coaching staff – assistant coaches Monte Stokes and John Walter – played a “huge part” in the Lady Blazers’ success, Strampe said.

“The time and effort they and their families have put into this program are second to none,” Strampe continued. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of coaches to work with.”

Strampe also expressed gratitude to members of the wider community who supported the program, including bus drivers, custodians, teachers, athletic trainers, team managers, administrators, parents, family members, reporters, game workers, referees and fans.

Strampe concluded with a big shoutout to his wife, Kelly, for her “support and understanding.”

“Without her, stepping up to take care of the extra responsibilities and time commitments that come with coaching, I would not be able to do this thing I love. She is the real MVP.”