When coach Zach Skrinjar ends his day job as a middle school history teacher at North Hills Middle School, he doesn’t leave that identity far behind when he walks out the door. Rather, for many months out of the year, he begins his second part of the day as head coach of the Foxes boys basketball team, a role that also requires a strong background in instruction, time management, and keeping everyone on task.
That’s not a problem for coach Skrinjar. He isn’t just a teacher; he was born to teach. He knows exactly how to get the most out of his pupils, whether it’s in the classroom or on the court. The coach’s patience, attention to detail, keen sense of what motivates young minds, and ability to relate to players on a personal level have reaped some remarkable results during his 14-year tenure with the Fox Chapel Area program.
Over the years, his teams have collectively won nearly 70% of their games. He’s taken 11 out of 14 teams to the WPIAL playoffs, 10 of 11 of them consecutive bids, and four squads have advanced to the PIAA state tournament.
It’s a storied achievement, but, just as importantly, he has mentored hundreds of boys on the value of being accountable and responsible, and that a team-first mentality can get them further in life than merely focusing on individual gains.
Senior point guard Kam Greil has developed as a player over the past four years under the coach’s leadership. Most importantly, Kam says his coach has helped him in ways he never imagined.
“As a freshman, I was immature on and off the court, and it didn’t get much better as a sophomore,” Kam admits. “But coach Skrinjar saw something in me and gave me a chance to play varsity minutes. He changed me in a way I didn’t see myself. He helped me mature as a person and to really understand what it’s like to win.”
Starting Over
This season was one of the coach’s toughest. He and his assistants Joe Farrell, Joshua Randall, Gabe Skrinjar, and Thomas Reighard had the assignment of replacing five starters from last season’s WPIAL championship team that advanced to the PIAA semifinals. Left behind was a very young team with members of varying levels of varsity experience.
Naturally, there were questions as to how they would piece together an entirely new group of players who had never shared court time together. However, this coach is as much of a student as he is a teacher, so he’s learned how to handle just about any situation.
“His passion and love of the game have led to his constant studying about how to help each different group each season,” says assistant Gabe Skrinjar, coach Skrinjar’s brother. “He doesn’t just take the current roster and mold them into what was done previously, but discovers what the composition is and then customizes it to fit their skills.”
Once again, the coach’s lesson plans are working. With only two games left before the end of the regular season, the team is 13-7 overall (as of February 8), has a chance to finish second in WPIAL Class 5A Section 2, and is headed for the WPIAL playoffs once again.
“I’m trying to teach them the fundamentals of doing the right thing as many times as we can,” coach Skrinjar says. “So far, we have focused on making easy plays that lead to positive results. This is a very young team and there’s still a learning curve, so repetition has been a big thing with this group. The younger guys have made some pretty big leaps, and as a team, they now are playing more fluidly. Everyone is trying to do the right thing instead of just playing.”
Junior forward Will Siegel says, “I like how coach Skrinjar takes all of the little things seriously. He works really hard with the team to make sure we can get every possible advantage before a game. He never lets us get satisfied. We could win a big game by 20 points and he won’t let us be satisfied because the job is not finished yet. This always keeps our team focused on the end goal, which is always to in a WPIAL championship.”
It’s easy to see why coach Skrinjar is so respected among his peers. Last year, he was named the WPIAL Class 6A Coach of the Year and was selected to coach the gold team at the Roundball Classic. Yet, transforming an inexperienced team that had never played together before might be an even better indicator of his exceptional teaching and leadership qualities.
Rebuilding One Day at a Time
“It hasn’t been as easy this year as it was the past two years, but coach Skrinjar has found a way to take a very undersized and young team to the playoffs,” Kam says. “I think that’s the determination factor he has. It’s not easy teaching three freshmen and three or four sophomores what it’s like to play varsity minutes, all in just a few months, but he had patience with them and has taught them so much in the little amount of time he had. He’s been a great coach and an even better person to the whole team. I think no matter what, coach Skrinjar will always find a way to win, no matter the circumstances.”
Sophomore Asher White, who has emerged as a very good shooter, especially three-pointers, says coach Skrinjar is a master at focusing on details and consistency.
“The details can add up and make the difference in whether we win games or get to the playoffs,” says the 6’3” forward. “Personally, he has shown me little things that can help me to improve my shot. He keeps us working hard, and because of that, we are getting a little better each day.”
One Game at a Time
The results of focusing on the minutia were evident in a rematch against Armstrong High School on February 3, which the Foxes won, 51-30. The Foxes lost to the River Hawks earlier in the season, and it was something they were determined to remedy.
“That game was a total team effort and one of our best games this year,” says a pleased coach Skrinjar. “They followed the game plan to a ‘T,’ and I was really pleased with how they played. What they are doing now is all part of the grand plan of getting them to buy into what we are teaching them and our expectations. I can’t say enough about the guys. I have confidence in all of them.”
A couple weeks prior to that game, the Foxes had a repeat victory against Upper St Clair, a WPIAL 6A team that is leading their section now and is headed for the postseason.
Speaking like a seasoned teacher who is on top of his game, coach Skrinjar adds, “We can control our destiny. We just have to take care of business, one game at a time, as we’ve always done.”
