Fondy hires new boys, girls basketball coaches
Mark Ziebell and Jeff Bell have been hired as head basketball coaches for Fond du Lac High School’s varsity boys and girls basketball programs, the school announced Friday.
Ziebell replaces Adam Zakos, who stepped down in February after eight seasons and a 76-106 overall record as coach of the Cardinal boys team.
He brings more than 20 years of teaching and coaching experience to the program. Ziebell began his coaching career in 1994 at St. Mary Central in Menasha and returned there after serving as the head coach at Green Bay Southwest from 2007-2011.
He coached St. Mary Central to a runner-up WISAA state finish in 1998 and was selected the Appleton Post Crescent Coach of the Year in 2004.
“Coach Ziebell has tremendous strength in program development and providing a clear vision for the progression of player development from third grade through high school,” Fondy High said in a press release.
Bell, 24, replaces Doug Follis, whose contract as girls basketball coach was not renewed after 14 seasons as coach.
He teaches physical education at Sabish Middle School and has been the varsity girls assistant coach at Omro the past two years. In the two years before Bell arrived at Omro, the Foxes had a combined seven wins. In his two seasons with them, they’ve won a combined 24.
Bell also coached eighth grade girls basketball at Sabish last year, which he thinks will help his transition.
“I coached a couple girls who have sisters on the varsity,” he said. “A lot of the eighth graders were excited when they heard I applied for the job. Hopefully that excited goes up to those siblings and the rest of the girls.”
Fondy girls basketball went 8-15 overall last season and finished eighth out of 10 teams in the FVA.
Prior to his assistant job at Omro, Bell coached youth basketball in Stevens Point while attending UW-Stevens Point.
Bell, who lives in Oshkosh, acknowledged his youth may create some skeptics among Fondy fans, but is excited for the opportunity.
“I don’t feel like a lot of people necessarily have confidence in me yet because they don’t know a lot about me,” Bell said. “I’ve seen what it takes (to turn a program around) and I will bring that to Fondy. I’m excited for the challenge.”
“Coach Bell will bring enthusiasm and passion to the program along with the ability to build strong player relationships,” the release added.