New coach to police Ozaukee girls

Ozaukee High School girls’ basketball fans will be moving their heads back and forth quickly this season as a new coach takes over.

Jason Pollard said he wants to push the pace.

“Getting the ball up and down the court” is one of his goals, Pollard said.

Pollard comes to Ozaukee after being a varsity assistant coach at Hartford last season. Before that, he was a junior varsity and junior varsity 2 coach for two years for the West Bend East girls and one year for the West Bend West boys.

Pollard grew up playing basketball, primarily playing guard, in Sheboygan Falls, where he also played football and baseball.

He played intramural basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice.

Pollard lives in West Bend and has worked as a police officer for the city for 13 years, joining the force right after college.

He said Ozaukee offered an attractive head coaching position.

“I was looking for a very competitive program to be part of,” Pollard said. “Ozaukee has had a nice history of, with Coach (Bob) Wolf, always having double-digit wins each year, being competitive at the top of the conference.”

Now in his first head coaching position on varsity, Pollard said, “I just want players to be out there who are working the hardest and to be selfless, and to be able to run through our offensive scheme.”

He hopes players will display their skills while buying into his team philosophy.

Points may come from a host of sources.

“The offense is not going to be run through just one person,” he said. “I expect a different leading scorer each game.”

On defense, Pollard said, he will mix in zone with man-to-man looks.

The Warriors will have another new element this season, regardless of which side of the court they are on. Everyone will be wearing masks when they play and while on the bench, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Obviously, it’s uncomfortable. Basketball isn’t a natural sport to be running up and down the court (with a mask on),” Pollard said.

He said he used his contact days to try to get the girls used to wearing them. Those who participated in fall sports, he said, can adjust a little faster since they’re already familiar with their new attire.

“I’m just really looking forward to the  group of girls that are going to be part of the team this year,” Pollard said.

“I know the team lost a lot last year and has a good incoming freshman class,” he said.

Ozaukee was to host Berlin Tuesday in the season opener.