Zack Cook steps down as Napa High’s boys basketball coach
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
It was a good run for Zack Cook as the head coach of the Napa High boys basketball program.
However, there are times that other opportunities arise. That was the case as he resigned from his post on Monday afternoon after leading the program for four years.
“Zack Cook was a great basketball coach for Napa High School,” Napa High Athletic Director Darci Ward said via email on Tuesday. “ He was committed to his teams and worked extremely hard to teach not only the game but about those important life lessons.”
In that time, Cook was able to lead the Grizzlies to the first league title in 28 years during the 2018-19 season. During the 2018-19 season, the Grizzlies also completed a perfect league season by going 12-0 in the Vine Valley Athletic League before ending the season with a 23-6 record, which was the best in school history. He also compiled a 50-59 record during that four-year frame as well.
“I think it couldn’t have come at a better time,” Cook said of 2018-19 season. “Our school culture was down at that time and I think we played a small part in reviving school spirit and helping the NHS community move past some things that had been going on.”
This past season, Napa went 7-19 and had a 3-9 VVAL record. They finished tied for fifth in the league.
Cook will be transitioning into a new role next winter when he joins Napa Valley College women’s basketball coach Paul DeBoldt as his assistant. He will still teach physical education full-time at Napa High.
“It will be a great opportunity to continue learning and growing as a coach and educator while working with Paul Deboldt and Jerry Dunlap out at NVC,” Cook explained. “And while doing so I can go back to being an assistant coach and have a little more flexibility and hopefully a few less sleepless nights. The women’s program has fallen on some hard times over the past few years, but Paul and Jerry have a great vision for what the potential could be and I want to be a part of that!”
“Zack attended Napa High and has coached at Napa High since 2004, with one year over at Vintage to be the head varsity girls coach,” Ward continued. “We understand his reasons for deciding to step down and he will be greatly missed.”
Cook was also thankful for the time he had with assistant coach Greg Johnson.
“Greg is a great coach but more importantly one of my best friends,” Cook continued. “I’ll miss working with him but I know we will stay in touch and still see each other outside of basketball. Brad Swim and Paul Dugoni also played a huge role in the program over the last four years. Your lower level coaches sometimes don’t get the credit they deserve.”
Before coming to Napa for the 2016-17 season, Cook was the head girls’ basketball coach at Vintage. He also served as the JV girls head coach under Ward.
Ward cited that there is currently no timetable for when a new coach will be hired due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
