craigdailypress.com

Born and raised in Craig, Steve Maneotis has "always pulled for the home team."

He was Moffat County High School's boys junior varsity basketball coach for eight years and a member of the last coaching staff to hang postseason banners in the school foyer.

Tuesday afternoon Maneotis became the new head coach for the Bulldogs.

Jeff Simon, MCHS athletic director, said seven of the eight applicants were selected for interviews after Scott Parker's resignation.

"We felt that Steve was the best qualified, familiar with the program and works well with the boys," Simon said.

Parker, a history teacher at MCHS, led the Bulldogs the past two seasons.

The two have been friends for years and Parker said he is happy Maneotis got the opportunity.

"I guess you could say I've come full-circle," Maneotis said. "My short-term hopes are to build this program. I am really big on fundamentals."

The 1979 MCHS graduate played high school football, basketball and track and field before playing basketball in college.

Maneotis played two years at Colorado State University, where he was a walk-on and eventually made the team. He later transferred to Chadron State University in Chadron, Neb., where he graduated with a double major in business management and marketing.

He then returned to Craig to work in his family's business, Victory Motors, where he is a co-owner.

"I had interviewed two other times," Maneotis said of past coaching positions at MCHS. "The bug has hit me. I think the time is right. This opportunity is a great way for me to give back to the school. A lot of me says this is the missing piece of the puzzle."

Although he hasn't had time to fill out a coaching staff, Maneotis' goal is to build the program to an elite level.

"The kids have been waiting for awhile, and we've got two main things to work on," he said. "Our No. 1 point of emphasis is we'll be hitting the weights, and secondly just doing the basics. We're going to shoot a lot."

As Maneotis prepares to don the whistle his enthusiasm seems contagious.

"I can't tell you how excited I am to get after it,' he said.