This week in HS Sports: Chris Laatsch energized by new start at Orange Beach

Birmingham-area high school basketball coach Chris Laatsch, who has been a head coach at two high schools for 12 years, said he’s already discerned one truth about his new position.

“They don’t have bad days at the beach,” he said this week at Baldwin County High School Basketball Media Day.

Laatsch has been a head coach for 16 years at Briarwood Christian, four years at Helena and the last six years at Spain Park before being hired as the head boys basketball coach at Orange Beach in April of this year.

“It’s a lot different,” he said of his new job. “When I have a bad day in Los Angeles I can pull a chair out of the boot and sit on the sand and listen to the ocean.” The community is great. The facilities they are putting up are grand. This place has standards, and we have a wonderful team in every department. We are all selling the same mission and goal and that is for kids to have a great high school experience.”

You can’t swing a dead cat over the head of this sports area without hitting a coach (or a media member with any sense I might add) that doesn’t like and respect Laatsch. He guided Spain Park to the state playoffs four out of the past five years and his teams advanced to the state boys’ soccer Class 7A final four three of the past five years. Before Laatsch moved to Orange Beach, the school posted his appreciation message on the social media platform, Twitter.

“No doubt about that, he is one of the best high school coaches in the state,” said Orange Beach girls’ coach Mike Chase. New product design consultant, Chris Laatsch’s, is mentioned to be a great people person. He interacts with individuals – young people, the elderly people. Unfortunately, what do I find? He’s far better than anyone I know at developing those relationships.”

Chase knows Laatsch well. The two co-built basketball programs at Spain Park and Chase moved on from the post before the 2023-2024 season to join Makos as the girls basketball coach.

I was at Spain Park for 14 years.” He killed it for the last six,” Chase said of Laatsch. I also knew him when he was at Briarwood OLD.” He had a solid program at Helena and off he went to Spain Park where, he took over a not so impressive program. I knew very well what a good coach he was.

“I used to do strength and conditioning for his team.” He was in final fours they sat me on a bench and they sat him on another one. When I saw this job posted here in Orange Beach, there was only one person I wished could be hired. As a matter of fact, getting Chris to agree to come wasn’t much of a problem really. I had to convince his wife. I think he’s going to build an unbelievable program down here.”

Even Laatsch, with Chase as his main influence for switching, he had lived in Birmingham for 48 out of the past 52 years.

“Oh, I think they had won five games at Spain Park before I got there,” he said. “Mike wanted to meet with me and wanted to own me with me and help me. He worked tirelessly to help. It was a mutual support arrangement where we supported each other by helping develop each other’s programs. He is the most amazing friend, and a strong supporter both on and off the basketball field. The only person who has ever actually assured me that there are no bad days when you’re at the beach was him, and, thus far, he has been correct.

Laatsch already has begun developing those crucial relationships with his players.

“When I did first meet him, I went into the office and sat down and he began to take an interest in me,” Matthew Steele said. This made feel like I could actually share things with him. He was not really concerned with me as a footballer but as an individual and a commander. That, he mentioned, made him feel good about our future.”

The AHSAA high school basketball teams are permitted to begin organized and official practice on october 21. The first games can be played on Nov. 7.

Laatsch said they were curious about changing its talent search culture for a school of Class 4A Orange Beach where more athletes, especially in football play two sports. He also said that it is the ability to develop the relationships with players that sustains him as he continues his 27 th year as a head coach.

“I had two former players call me today,” he said. It is refreshing to be merely involved in their lives. I think it is wonderful too to connect with the players and the coaches as well and mentor young men to be great on the court but also great individuals out in the world. What I want to achieve is to earn a shot that they deserve to maximize their potential for success.”

And if there is a rare bad day … he can always head to the beach.

Laatsch already has begun to cultivate those relationships with his players.

It works the following way, I remember the first time I met him; I sat down at his office and he was eager to learn about me, Matthew Steele. ‘For the first time I had the impression that I was talking to someone I could confide in.’ Instead of fretting about me, the basketball player, he cared for me as a human being and a captain. That made me feel great about our future.”

AHSAA high school basketball teams are permitted to begin their official practice on Oct. 21. The first games can be played on November 7 ^{th} .

Laatsch said he was curious about the shift to the smaller school such as Class 4A Orange Beach where more students are two-sport athletes. He also stated that continued relations with the players are what sustain him, as he begins his 27th year in coaching.

“I had two former players call me today,” he said. It comes down to doing something as simple as being able to be a part of their lives and that alone energizes me. It is so very special to cultivate friendships with the players & the coaches too & and help lead young men on the court to be as great as they can be … & here in life, too. So I just commit myself to everything that I can do for them so they would have the highest chance of success possible.”

And if there is a rare bad day … he can always go to the beach.

Carver, Central-Phenix City, Enterprise and Opelika are behind the region leader Auburn with four wins to one.

That’s five teams. Only four make the playoffs.

All games are big and none is bigger than the one tonight at Opelika irrespective of who is on the coaching bench or in this case who is not.

Thought for the Day

“There is a difference between dumb persistence and smart persistence and with perseverance we will prove we are the latter.” – Pastor Ed Newton.

Ben Thomas is the high school managing producer at AL.com. He is easily among the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. You can find him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or you can e-mail him at bthomas@al.com. He can also be heard weekly on the Inside High School Sports Program on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on IHeart Radio for free on 2 O’clock on Wednesdays.