Forbush High School has announced two new basketball coaches for the ‘11-‘12 basketball season. Jeff Weisner has been named the new men’s varsity coach and Bradley Shore has been named the women’s varsity coach.

Although both coaches are new leaders for the programs, neither are strangers to Forbush Basketball.

Coach Weisner has spent the previous eight years as the men’s junior varsity coach while Coach Shore has been a men’s varsity assistant for the last few years.

For Weisner, many of the relationships with his returning players are already established due to his time spent as the J.V. coach.

“My transition, hopefully, isn’t that much because I’ve been the J.V. coach for the previous eight years. I know all the guys. I know what they like to do and know what they need to work on. With that aspect, we should be able to build on what was set in place last year,” Weisner said.

“I’m in the opposite boat he (Weisner) is in. I’m coming into a new situation where I don’t know what they have done during the last few years. It’s going to be new for them,” Shore said.

While both coaches are coming to the programs with different approaches, one thing both teams will be doing a lot of is work during the summer.

“We’ve had some four-player workouts this spring to try and put in some of the things we’re going to do this summer and this fall. We’re going to team camp in a few weeks. So we’re trying to put a little bit of work in this summer so we can come out in November and they have an idea of what we’re trying to do,” Shore said.

For the men’s program, the basketball players will be spending time in the gym for shoot-arounds and lifting weights.

“They know we have work to do and this summer is where it’s going to start,” Weisner said.

Shore, however, has two main goals for his team during the summer workouts.

“We’re going to show them how we’re going to do things. A lot of it is how we’re going to handle ourselves in practice. I’m trying to set in how we’re going to do things as a program. The other thing is we’re going to work on some offensive things we’re going to do in the season. Our offense is kind of a layered system and we’re going to learn a few of the first few layers to have a head-start on the season,” Shore said.

Although both coaches are now at the helm for the respective basketball programs, each has a unique background on how they began their journey to becoming a head basketball coach.

“Once I was in college, I knew I wanted to coach. I actually started helping with the soccer team. Once I got hired, they offered me the J.V. job. The first few years was a learning experience. They kept me on for eight years with the J.V. Then, when Coach Huggins surprised us in January, they asked if I would be interested and I said ‘Absolutely,’” Weisner said.

Coach Shore got his start with basketball just down the road, playing for the Starmout Rams.

“I started out at Starmount High School, which is where I played high school ball. My first year teaching was Coach Brian Robinson’s first year also. He had just gotten hired as the boys coach at Starmount. He asked if I would help him coach. So it was just the two of us, and I coached the J.V. boys and was a varsity assistant,” Shore said.

Shore went on to coach girls at West Yadkin for 10 years until Yadkin County transitioned to middle schools.

“I saw my neighbor, Coach Jon Huggins, one Saturday afternoon and he asked me ‘What are you doing for basketball this year since there’s no team at West Yadkin?” Shore said.

With no team at West Yadkin, Shore joined Huggins’ staff and was a varsity assistant for the last two seasons before taking over this year as the women’s varsity coach.

“There’s a difference when it comes to coaching boys and girls. I’ve coached high school boys and middle school girls. There are some small differences, but I feel like I am well-prepared having coached middle school girls for 10 years. I think it’s going to be a good transition,” Shore said.

Although basketball is still five months away, both coaches are anxious to begin the season with the teams and make some noise in the conference.

“I am excited about addition of two new basketball coaches to our staff. Both bring enthusiasm and expertise of the game and have already started building a great rapport with our student-athletes. I sense a lot of eager anticipation from our basketball athletes and parents about the upcoming season. I look forward to what these two young men bring to the table for our basketball program,” said Forbush Athletic Director Anthony Davis.

“I’m ready for the first day to get here. Our motto for the last couple of years has been ‘No excuses.’ But with losing all of our seniors, a new motto is going to be ‘Work to do.’ We’ve got to get in the gym and get started,” Weisner said.

Concerning the women’s program, Shore said, “I don’t want time to jump ahead, but I wish it was basketball season right now. We’re going to do some exciting things. I love practice. I want to get in the gym and start teaching and then see that teaching grow into the games and see them improve,” Shore said.

The Forbush men finished the ‘10-‘11 season with an overall record of 13-8 and fell just short of a playoff berth after being defeated by Ashe County in the conference tournament. The Forbush women finished last season with an 8-15 overall record.