Shoes squeak on the court and balls bounce in triumphant rhythm, announcing the start of a new season. Coming off of last year’s rough campaign, the boys basketball team hopes a change in coaching will put them back on the winning track. New head coach Dan Weisse played at University of Milwaukee Wisconsin in college and plans to use his experience to benefit the team.

“I've had some great experiences and played for some great coaches,” he said. “I want to share that experience with our players and give them the great experience that I had when I was a student at Oshkosh West.”

A great experience indeed as he was a part of the team that won the conference in 1998-99. A lot of the things he learned during his time will help set up a strong foundation for the team.

“We got to lead with our upperclassmen and, as this is my first year, they are really going to set the tone for how things go with this program,” he said. “We got some pretty solid younger guys coming through the pipe, but our upperclassmen have to lead.”

A healthy culture and team environment is important to Weisse.

“We want to really establish a family-like culture,” he said. “We are working every day and our job is to get better from one day to the next and we don't want to take any steps back, and that's what we’re focused on right now.”

Even though he’s now in a teaching position, Weisse has found that he is learning new things himself.

“I've learned a lot in my short time here,” he said. “But I'm excited to be here and we’re excited to work hard and make this school proud.”

Adjusting to a new coach always takes time and flexibility. Senior Devin Burhow recognizes this and is ready to make the change for the health of the team.

“It’s been difficult because the stuff that he teaches is completely opposite of what Johnson taught us all throughout high school,” he said. “We just had to switch up our scheme and learn new stuff.”

Burhow finds that the coach will stop at nothing to improve the team and pushes them to their full potential.

“He’s a nice guy but he’ll get on you for the small stuff,” he said. “He's just trying to make us better.”

This new leadership role hasn't been a cakewalk for Weisse either.

“The biggest challenge for me is figuring out how things work at the high school level because I’ve been removed from when I played in high school,” he said. “But my coaching staff has done a tremendous job and we have great support with our players.”

It's important to stay together during this adaptation.

“We haven't played a game yet, but if we stick together and bind what we are teaching with our philosophy, good things will happen for our program,” Weisse said.

While Weisse was under Bruce Pearl's coaching style at Milwaukee, the team advanced to the NCAA tournament in the 2002-03 season. His resume speaks for itself.

“I’ve been to Minnesota State-Moorhead, North Dakota State, La Crosse, and middle Tennessee,” Weisse said.

Goals for the season are already in place for the athletes to strive for.

“I want to make it to the second round of the playoffs,” Burhow said.

Weisse shares similar plans.

“Obviously we want to win games and get to the top of the league,” he said.

Buhrow, for one, hopes a change in vision ignites change in performance.

“I think that it will make us better and it will change the culture because we haven’t been good in the last couple years,” he said “Hopefully it’s a step in the right direction.”

By Sophie Carlin

Oshkosh West Index Volume 119 Issue III

November 28 2022

Weisse responds to Oshkoshian siren song in return to home hardwood