South Salem aide to take over post

By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN

Gene Quilhaugh, who coached Stayton High School to the 1995 Class 3A state boys basketball championship, has been named the new boys head coach at North Medford High.

Quilhaugh replaces Terry Gregg, who recently resigned, and becomes only the second boys head coach in the 12-year history of the school.

North Medford Athletic Director Buzz Brazeau confirmed Monday night the hiring of Quilhaugh.

"We're ecstatic about it," said Brazeau. "He's a real enthusiastic guy, and he's committed to the process that we support, which is that the whole is more important than the parts in any program.

"Like we did with all 40 candidates, we looked at him in four different areas and found him to be an exciting, dedicated coach. People here are going to like him."

Quilhaugh was in the area Monday but could not be reached for comment.

North Medford officials have called a press conference for 11 a.m. today to officially announce the hiring.

"He's extremely dedicated to the sport," said Chuck Chamberlain, a 19-year assistant coach at South Salem under Barry Adams. "I coached with Gene two different times at South Salem, and we're very close friends. I respect him a lot."

Quilhaugh works a lot in the off-season with kids, said Chamberlain, organizing summer and fall leagues.

"Everywhere he's been, he's had success," said Chamberlain. "He won a state championship as head coach at North Douglas and then he won at Stayton. And he's been an important part of our success at South Salem.

"He lives basketball, and it shows."

Quilhaugh coached Stayton to a third-place finish in the 1996 Capital Conference and then resigned as coach. He cited health reasons for his decision.

He then worked his second stint as an Adams' assistant at South Salem.

"His health problems are behind him now," said Brazeau. "He's over that, and he's excited to get started here."

There were no signs of ill health the past two years, said Chamberlain.

Quilhaugh and Chamberlain coached the varsity defense together.

"I'm sure he will play a lot of man-to-man pressure stuff," said Chamberlain. "But he's been known to go to a zone at times."

Offensively, Chamberlain said, Quilhaugh likes to push the ball up the floor and try to work to his skill players.

"He will go to what we call a mini-game, which means he will break the continuity of a set offense to work the ball to specific players," said Chamberlain.

Quilhaugh earns the respect of his players, said Chamberlain, by being both demanding and player-friendly.

"His style is to take kids aside and talk to them," said Chamberlain. "One minute, you might see him chewing a kid's butt. The next, he's hugging the same kid."