It’s not hard for Redmond High’s new boys basketball coach to relate with his players. It wasn’t long ago he was one of them.

Reagan Gilbertson, 34, graduated from Redmond in 2000 after helping the Panthers to the state tournament in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. He went on to play for two years at Umpqua Community College and then played a year at Eastern Oregon University, where he also spent a season as a student assistant.

Gilbertson’s age and playing experience allow him to do something not all coaches can — square up against his players. Next season’s Panthers have been coming into the gym twice a week in the summer, and Gilbertson plays against them in scrimmages.

“I’m very passionate about the game of basketball,” he said. “I’m going to play as long as I can move. I think it’s good for them to see that I enjoy the game and, hopefully, can play with them for years to come.”

Not only do the players get to face Gilbertson, the coach brings back Redmond legend Maarty Leunen, a former teammate who went on to star at the University of Oregon and internationally, as well as other former college players for scrimmages, said incoming senior Zachary Redelings.

“It’s good competition for us,” Redelings said. “It opens our eyes to how good the competition can be and gets us back in shape.”

Many former Redmond staff members left when Ridgeview High opened in 2012. Gilbertson might hold the distinction of being the first coach to rejoin the Panthers. He served three seasons as Redmond’s junior varsity coach, then spent three years at Ridgeview, one as JV coach and two as varsity assistant.

Gilbertson went to Madras for the 2015-16 school year and worked as a teacher and coach at Jefferson County Middle School.

He was excited to come back to Redmond High, where he also teaches special education. Gilbertson said his dream job was to coach at the school.

“I played here; it’s what I wanted to do when I got older,” he said. “I wanted to teach, I wanted to coach and I wanted to do it here. I’m extremely excited about teaching life lessons and improving basketball skills.”

Gilbertson learned from former Redmond coaches Dusty Porter and Jon Corbett, as well as former Ridgeview coach Nathan Covill, Gilbertson said.

“Every coach approaches the game differently and kids differently,” he said. “For me, to take lessons from every coach I worked for and played for will give me multiple strategy approaches.”

Gilbertson faces the task of replacing five senior starters from the 2015-16 team, including first-team All-Intermountain Conference selection Cody Moss and honorable mention selections Derek Brown and Brandon Benson. That team finished 3-9 in IMC and 10-13 overall after losing five of its last six games.

Juniors Ethan Soto and Josh Hair are the only returning players with varsity experience.

The team’s summer schedule included a tournament in Springfield, where they slept in the school gymnasium, and a team camp at Eastern Washington University, where the Panthers stayed in dorms and played seven games in three days.

“It was a good experience for the team to get out of the state and see some different types of basketball,” Gilbertson said. “The biggest benefit was to get to know each other, spend some time together and have some fun.”

Gilbertson likes having new players who are ready to learn.

“We’ve got a new varsity core group and a new coach,” he said. “And so far they’ve been just like sponges; their attitude and work ethic have been amazing. That’s all I can ask for right now.”

The players are taking a liking to Gilbertson, Redelings said. They hope they will be able to surprise some people in the 2016-17 season.

“The IMC is pretty balanced now,” he said. “A lot of seniors (at other schools) graduated. Hopefully it’s fair game for everybody.”

— Reporter: 541-548-2186, gfolsom@redmondspokesman.com