Fred Heisel stepping down as Glenwood Springs head basketball coach
John Stroud/Post Independent
After five seasons as the head basketball coach at Glenwood Springs High School, Fred Heisel said he will step down due to family reasons.
Only a few short months after making an appearance in the Colorado 5A State Playoffs and capturing a 5A Western Slope League title, Glenwood Springs will now be in pursuit of a new head coach to take the helm.
While Heisel said stepping down is not something he wants to do, he emphasized that it’s something he needs to do.
“My time as head coach has been great to me but I have to do what’s best for my family,” Heisel said. “I’ve had some great years at Glenwood and I have enjoyed watching these kids come in at a young age and grow into the men that they have become.”
A former player at Glenwood Springs High from 1984-88 before continuing his basketball career at Regis University, Heisel took over the reins of his alma mater in 2018 following a stint as the head coach at Glenwood Springs Middle School.
Since then, Heisel has led the team to three winning seasons in his five years as the leader of the program, compiling an overall record of 70-43.
While his time as head coach has come to an end, Heisel said he will still be around the program come the 2023-24 season.
“I will definitely attend some open gyms next season and I am excited to attend the games and see what the team is able to do,” Heisel said. “This is part of life and who knows, if I feel the time is right maybe I’ll have a future in coaching.”
As Heisel steps down from his position, those within the valley know how important of a role he has played in the last five years.
Mike Vidakovich, who helped coached Heisel during his high school years and has continued to be a member of the sports world throughout the valley, said the loss of Heisel at the helm of the Demons is a big one.
“His leadership is unmatched, both during his playing days and now during his time as a coach,” Vidakovich said. “He knows how to get the most out of his players. He’s a man that his players want to play for.”
Under new leadership, the Glenwood Springs boys basketball program will look to repeat the success that they saw during the 2022-23 season, in which they went 17-8 following a 9-15 season in 2021-22.
Post Independent education and sports reporter Taylor Cramer can be reached at 970-384-9108 or tcramer@postindependent.com
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.