Poland's coaches dedicated

Coach Ken Grisdale has been blessed by having assistants Brian Nord, Tom Fender, Richard Black and Steve Rohan.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
POLAND -- Dedication best describes the Poland High basketball team's coaching staff.
Brian Nord has been coach Ken Grisdale's assistant for 14 seasons and two others have been on board for at least 10 seasons.
Tom Fender, who was the Fitch High coach through the 1995-96 season, has been on Grisdale's bench since the 1996-97 season.
Richard Black was a member of Grisdale's initial staff in 1993-94 then took a couple years off from coaching a few years ago. This year, he's the Poland freshman coach.
Grisdale's other assistant is Steve Rohan, the Poland junior varsity coach for three years after serving as varsity baseball coach.
The friendship Grisdale (a Canfield High graduate) and Fender (a player on Poland's 1972 state team) has cultivated has grown so much that their families vacation together.
"He's one of my best friends," Grisdale said. "He's become the guy that I go to with every issue, not only basketball.
"To have him around with the experiences he's had is priceless. He spends the most time with me in the program.
"He's dedicated to Poland. His kids are both in college so for him to still want to be here says something," Grisdale said.
Stepped down from Fitch
Eleven years ago, Fender, who teaches at Fitch High, stepped down as the Falcons' varsity coach so he could spend time watching and coaching sons Eric and Chad.
In 1997, Fender coached the Poland 12-year-old Little League baseball team to a state title and then was one win away from the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
In 2002, Chad and Eric were two of Poland's five starters on their state tournament-qualifying basketball team.
This winter, Eric played his senior season for Mount Union while Chad is at Ashland College recovering from back surgery.
Fender says he enjoys helping the Bulldogs while having the freedom to watch his sons.
"There's no question that Gris has been very good to me," Fender said. "I've been able to go see Eric play. And not many coaches would take an ex-head coach and say, 'Come coach with me.'
"It's fun for me -- I still enjoy being around the kids. And that's probably the big thing -- if I didn't enjoy that, I probably would get out."
Fender said when Chad graduated in 2005 that he wasn't sure he would continue to assist Grisdale.
"There was a point where I didn't know if I would have the interest or the desire," Fender said.
Third trip to state
Now, he and the Bulldogs are making their third trip to Columbus. In 1972, Fender played for Poland's other state team.
Rohan and Black are making their first state appearance.
"My kids were getting to the point where I had to do some things to take them to their practices so I took a break," Black said." And of course when I took the break, they went to state.
"So this is a sky-high feeling," said Black, who teaches history. "How often does your team get to go to Columbus?"
Rohan loves working with Grisdale, Nord and Fender.
"This is a really great staff. It's the most unique coaching scheme that I've ever seen," Rohan said. "[Grisdale] coaches offense and [Nord] coaches defense.
"When we're doing defensive stuff in practice, you can't hardly find Coach Gris. He's on the side or watching film or doing something else in the way of planning. He leaves everything up to Coach Nord.
"And it's vice versa for Coach Nord when we're working on offense," Rohan sad. "It's almost like offensive and defensive coordinators that high school football uses. And it works."
Two trips to Value City Arena in six seasons backs up Rohan's point.
williams@vindy.com