Bob Hofman has groomed Bob Pietrack to be his replacement for the better part of 16 years. Now, it’s time for the student to become the master.
Fort Lewis College announced Friday afternoon that Hofman, head coach of the men’s basketball team, will retire effective Aug. 1 but will be retained as a coach emeritus for one season.
Hofman agreed to the emeritus role after being assured by FLC president Dene Kay Thomas and athletic director Gary Hunter that Pietrack would receive the head coaching position and not be considered an interim head coach, according to Hofman.
“Bobby has been taking over the day-to-day operations for quite awhile now. I’ve wanted to transition into this situation for a long time,” Hofman said in a one-on-one interview with The Durango Herald after a Friday evening team meeting. “I’ve had 46 years of being on the same clock, and I’ve never had more than one day in a row off. That’s a long time, and it’s time to step back a little bit.”
Hofman, who played in college at the University of Colorado, was the head coach of the Skyhawks for 19 seasons and owns every coaching record in program history. He led the team to 359 wins – 245 coming in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games.
Hofman said he initially wanted to return for a 20th and final season as head coach of the team, but he was convinced by Hunter and Thomas to accept the emeritus role.
“Two months ago, I went in to the office and figured out all my financial stuff and talked to them about resigning after a transition year. The administration took that to mean I was resigning, but I thought, initially, I was still going to be the head coach next year,” Hofman said. “Initially, I didn’t like the idea of being a coach emeritus, but Dr. Thomas was gracious enough to tell me to think about it and said, in her opinion, coach Pietrack deserved the opportunity to have me mentor him and be around while he took over.
“After thinking about it, I thought, OK, this is a great idea, as long as coach Pietrack will not be the interim coach but would become the head coach. Now I’ve been assured that is the case.”
Hofman also said Hunter indicated to him that the college was concerned about potentially losing Pietrack if Hofman didn’t hand over the reins sooner than later.
“That was another big consideration in proposing this deal. Hunter made the statement that they thought there was a chance if I stayed on they might lose him,” Hofman said.
Pietrack said he plans to meet with Hunter on Monday morning to discuss the future of the program, but he wouldn’t comment on taking over the team until after that meeting.
Instead, he wanted to focus on his unique relationship with Hofman.
“Coach has been my mentor. I enjoyed playing for him and working for him. He’s a hall of fame basketball coach and deserves every accolade he gets,” Pietrack said of Hofman. “Our relationship has blossomed over the years to what it is now, and it’s a big benefit to have him in the emeritus role.”
Pietrack played for Hofman at FLC from 2000-2004, then immediately went to work for him as an assistant coach. He’s been Hofman’s associate head coach the last seven years.
Hofman’s overall record at FLC is 359-190, and he went 245-115 in the RMAC.
“He’s possibly a hall of fame coach in the RMAC,” said FLC star center Alex Herrera, who completed his senior season with the Skyhawks last season. “I miss him now that I don’t have him every day anymore.”
The winningest coach in FLC history, Hofman led the team to three conference titles, four RMAC postseason tournament titles, six RMAC West Division trophies and seven trips to the NCAA Division II tournament.
“I certainly appreciate coach Hofman’s long tenured service to the college,” Hunter said in a news release. “I look forward to his mentoring our coaches and players this next season.”
Hunter could not be reached for further comment Friday.
Hofman coached the Skyhawks over two different stints. He started from 1983 to 1987 before departing for a Division I job at Eastern Washington, where he went 32-54 overall.
He then went to Western State to coach the Mountaineers, another RMAC program. He posted an 82-55 record in Gunnison and still has the most wins in Western State men’s basketball coaching history.
He rejoined the Skyhawks in 2000, and his teams have finished in the top four of the RMAC in 13 of the 15 years since.
Overall, Hofman has compiled a 475-299 record as a college head coach. He has 572 career wins between college and seven high school seasons.
As news spread Friday, returning senior guard Cade Kloster was happy to hear Hofman would be around the team for his senior season.
“It’s gonna be great to have him for another year. He’s been a big part of my whole experience at school,” said Kloster, who came to Durango from Longmont to play basketball for Hofman and FLC. “In the back of our minds, we are thinking we want to end coach (Hofman) on a great year. We gotta step up and do our part to have a great year and send him off with something good.”
Hofman, originally from Pasadena, California, said he has no plans to leave Durango, where he and his wife Nancy raised three sons, Nick, Luke and Robbie. Nick was a member of the FLC men’s soccer teams that won the 2009 and 2011 NCAA Division II national championships.
But, Hofman also didn’t rule out a return to the sidelines if the itch to be a head coach comes back.
“We’re not leaving Durango. I have the opportunity to transition now,” Hofman said. “But, I could get done with this transition and say, ‘Boy, I want to keep coaching,’ and leave and go coach somewhere. Or I could walk away from it all together.
“Great ones adjust has been our team motto. For me, the journey is just starting.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
