A Few Minutes With: Pete Zerfas Fremont Basketball Coach When Fremont left the floor Friday night they came away with win number 12 on the season. For their coach Pete Zerfas it was win number 250 as Leader of the Pack. For 17 years Coach Zerfas has been guiding the Boys Varsity team for Fremont. He coached 8th grade for 2 years and the junior varsity for 3 at Fremont before ascending to the top job in 2000. By his own count (“only a geek like me would know this”) he has coached 52 different teams in Fremont, from varsity to youth sports just about every sport there is, and 925 total games We caught up with the coach, educator, husband, father and avid outdoorsman recently to pose a few questions N3-How did you get started in coaching? PZ- In 1994 I was the assistant baseball varsity coach at Fremont. A year after that I started with... ...basketball and also softball. Wendy St.Peter and I both share the varsity softball record in Fremont for most varsity wins with 123.
N3- Did you play in high school? After high school? Have you always loved the game? PZ- I played 4 years in high school at Cedar Springs and was an average basketball player. It was my 3rd best sport. I played a year of college baseball before getting cut because I missed a week of optional practice to go bear hunting in the U.P. The coach said ‘optional’ doesn’t mean optional for people with your lack of talent. I was recruited to play football out of high school but college games are on Saturdays and I told the coaches that is when I bowhunt.....got to have priorities I guess. I love coaching the game of basketball because it is truly a team sport. It takes 5 players at all times working together on offense and defense to be successful. N3- Tell us about your first Varsity win PZ- Big Rapids on the road. We had started out 0-2 and I was pulled into the athletic office and told I might be fired soon. We won the next two games but then lost 4 of 5. I was again pulled in and the AD said he was strongly considering firing me. This happened a third time but then we got hot winning 8 of 9 games by an average of 27 points and finished 11-10. It was a rocky first year to say the least. I actually resigned at the end of the year thinking I was unwanted but a slew of parent meetings with the AD and superintendent wanting me to stay brought me back. I’m very thankful to those parents. N3 How about a game that stands out for you? PZ- The most memorable win came against Muskegon Heights at home. They were ranked #2 and all 5 of their starters went on to play D1 or D2 in college. We started out 10-0 but they came back right away and it was back and forth the whole game until Andy Johnson hit a 1 and 1 with 30 seconds to go to put us ahead for good. It was a packed house and I’ve never been in a gym that loud when Andy hit the shot. I remember they went 6'9, 6'7, 6'5, 6'5 and 6'3 and we couldn’t match that so I went small ball and started our 5'9 freshman Jeremy Gerth instead of our center and spread them out and made them try to cover us in space. N3- What’s been the biggest challenge for you in coaching. PZ- My health. I have Type 1 diabetes and take 7 shots a day. I have lost circulation in my legs and have bad nerve damage in my feet. Sometimes standing can be difficult. The basketball schedule makes it more challenging but when I see kids grow as players and people it is all worth it. 8 years ago my blood sugars were extremely high and I considered stepping down, but I have been able to get them under better control. N3- What’s the biggest benefit of coaching? PZ- The relationships you make with players and watching and helping them grow as young men. Playing a part in their development is very rewarding. My assistant coach, Lucas McKian is an example. Helping him develop as a basketball player, but more importantly as a young man who is now a role model in our community is very rewarding. N3- You mentioned having Lucas as an assistant. Is he the first ex-player to share the bench with you? I have been privileged to have multiple former players as my assistants. Kit Powell was the first and he remains a close friend today. He is a pillar in our community and that makes me proud. Keith Swanson also has assisted me and he also is a very giving and valuable member of our community. Tyler Krim assisted last year before moving out to Arizona and he was excellent with the kids. N3- All successful people have had mentors to help them along the way. Who has filled this role in your life? PZ- My parents, Tom and Sharon Zerfas. I’ve learned much from them and I try to pass those lessons on to my kids. As far as basketball mentors I was very fortunate to have 3 Fremont coaching legends who I learned from. Dean Morehouse hired me as a JV coach and I learned a ton about basketball coaching under him. I worked side by side for 3 years with Steve Eckert and I have learned more about basketball from him than anyone else. We still discuss the game every year throughout the season. Jeff Moon was also very helpful when I became the varsity coach. I would ask him almost daily back then about his experiences and things he would still do, and things he would do different. N3- You mentioned having Lucas as an assistant. Is he the first ex-player to share the bench with you? I have been fortunate to have multiple former players as my assistants. Kit Powell was the first and he remains a close friend today. He is a pillar in our community and that makes me proud. Keith Swanson also has assisted me and he also is a very giving and valuable member of our community. Tyler Krim assisted last year before moving out to Arizona and he was excellent with the kids. N3- Anything to add Coach? PZ-I think a milestone like 250 wins is just a reflection of what great kids we have in Fremont and how hard they have worked over the years. I am very lucky to have the opportunity to coach in such a great community. And none of the success I've been fortunate to have would have ever been possible without the support of my wife, Amy Comments are closed.
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November 2024
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