John Dietlin

ALPENA – Alpena High School has named John Dietlin as its new head coach for the varsity girls’ basketball program.

He is a seasoned leader with nearly two decades of experience coaching at the varsity and collegiate levels.

Dietlin, who has built a strong reputation in volleyball, expressed excitement about the opportunity to shape the basketball program.

“I was drawn to the opportunity to build something meaningful. I believe that I can positively impact the culture and direction of the program,” Dietlin said. “I am passionate about building an environment centered around fundamentals, player development, and team unity.”

Though his background is primarily in volleyball, Dietlin sees strong parallels between the two sports.

“Although volleyball and basketball are different sports, many of the leadership principles are the same,” Dietlin said. “Coaching volleyball taught me how important structure, communication, and development are to a successful program.”

“I learned how to build accountability, develop fundamentals, and create an environment where athletes understand expectations and trust each other, culminating in a winning team culture,” Dietlin added.

Dietlin highlighted the joy of athlete development as one of the most rewarding aspects of coaching.

“Having been involved with many of our youth over the years, there is no greater highlight than helping a young person find their love for the game,” Dietlin said. “From helping them understand a concept or skill to watching the excitement on their face when they make their first basket, then to seeing them find sustained success from all the work they have put in, that is what I have found rewarding.”

Dietlin outlined clear goals for the program. In the short term, he plans to build excitement and participation, establish clear standards, and foster strong relationships with athletes and parents.

“I want to build a program with a strong identity and lasting culture, one where players are fundamentally strong and develop through every level,” Dietlin said. “I want to increase participation and for the program to be consistently competitive, but beyond wins and losses, I want athletes to leave the program not only as better basketball players, but also as better students and young adults, confident and prepared for their next stages of life.”

A key priority for Dietlin is ensuring continuity across all levels of the program. He aims to align junior high, freshman, junior varsity, and varsity teams under common standards.

“This is one of my biggest priorities, to create alignment and continuity throughout the entire program, creating evolutionary steps where the players can grow and develop within the same structure,” Dietlin explained. “The strongest programs are ones where all levels share common standards, language, and values, building upon one another.”

“Through open lines of communication with all coaching levels, our focus is on long-term player development,” Dietlin added.

As the new season approaches, Dietlin extended a warm invitation to current players, prospective players, and their families.

“This program will be built on trust, support, effort, accountability, and growth. Athletes will be challenged and held to a standard, getting the opportunity to develop on and off the court,” Dietlin said. “I want this program to become a place where students want to participate, families and the community feel proud to support it, and athletes leave with experiences and enjoyment from having been apart of something bigger than themselves long after basketball is over.”

Athletic Director for Alpena High School, Ben Henry, discussed the decision to appoint Dietlin as the new head coach, hoping the new leader of the girls’ basketball team can bring some excitement to the program.

“We want to grow our numbers and have success within those students,” Henry said. “We are optimistic Dietlin can get the girls excited, keep them coming back, and grow our program to compete within the Big North Conference.”