‘We know we’re a varsity team’: Freddie Rehkow returns to Greater Spokane League with hungry young Ridgeline boys squad

Freddie Rehkow has achieved every success a high school coach could. League MVPs. State players of the year. League and district championships. Undefeated seasons. State titles.

Heck, he even guided a record-setting squad to a win in a national championship invitational tournament.

It’s a Hall of Fame resume, to be sure.

So when he stepped away a couple of years ago, folks figured he was “going out on top.”

There’s always more to the story, and Rehkow had plenty of reasons to make some time away from the game.

But, he pointed out, “I never said the word ‘retirement.’ ”

It is within that context that Rehkow takes on his latest challenge – starting a program from scratch and trying to compete and mold young men in the competitive Greater Spokane League.

Personal time

Rehkow said health issues contributed to his stepping away from the Central Valley girls program, and different health issues contributed to his return.

Hip and knee surgeries relieved years of discomfort, but COVID shutdowns kept him from his new career as a broadcaster and forced a more sedentary lifestyle at home, which resulted in a life-changing diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.

“With no social circle and health issues, I had to find something that was going to give me passion, something that would get me out of the house,” he said.

The opportunity to return couldn’t have come at a better time.

He has lost 40 pounds and is managing his diabetes well. During practice, he runs drills with players 35 years his junior and still has the best shot on the floor.

“It was my body telling me I’m old, but it just gave me something to look forward to,” he said.

“I’ve been enjoying that piece of getting back and having coaches to socialize with and these young men to teach. And just, you know, I love it.”

From the beginning

The gym walls in the school’s new facility were empty Thursday night after practice, plenty of space to eventually hang “state champion” banners.

“If we’re talking about that right now, we’re not going to have anything to talk about in the future,” Rehkow joked.

“This is one of those things that it’s going to take some time,” he said. “But once it gets to that point, I don’t know if it’ll be in my lifetime, but we’re hoping to build the program and get it started, for sure.”

Rehkow said there’s a plan for everything, but it all starts with a fairly simple timeline.

“When we played Ferris (Tuesday), I mean, we knew where they were and where we are,” he said.

“I told (Ferris coach) Sean (Mallon), Year 1 we want to compete. Year 2, we want to be competitive. Year 3, we’re hoping to be challenging. That’s the mindset you have to take.”

Rehkow knows what obstacles he faces.

“I’ve been at the start of programs before,” he said, “and I’ve been at the top. And I enjoy this.”

With just a couple of juniors and a roster full of sophomore and ninth-graders, Rehkow also understands the growing pains.

“There are young men going against grown men.”

Down the road

Brayden Allen, off of a record-setting performance during the football season, is one of the freshmen on the team and already a leader. He understands as much as anyone that the Falcons are going to take some lumps for the next couple of seasons.

“We’re definitely young,” he said. “We’ve worked really hard in the gym, and it’s definitely paid off a little bit. We’ve definitely gotten farther than how we were in the summer.”

With so many underclassmen on the roster, Allen said he’s heard a lot of “JV” comments from opponents.

“It’s definitely how everyone that goes against us feels,” he said. “They’re always talking down to us and making it seem like we’re worse than we really are. But we definitely aren’t (JV).

“We don’t have that varsity experience, but we’re definitely going to be better after this year, knowing what people think of us and how we played this year.”

Junior Jace Dunham shook off the JV comment.

“We know we’re here for a reason,” he said. “We all work really hard. We’re young, we’re not as big as other teams. So we know we have to go out there and battle. But we know we’re a varsity.”

Allen sees good days down the road.

“Looking at our freshman team, they put in lots of work,” Allen said. “They’re definitely dedicated to being a better team and winning championships one day.”

Baby steps

Still, there’s something of a disconnect when your freshman on varsity is talking about how the freshman team is going to bolster the varsity in the future.

“It’s a hard thing, you know.” Rehkow said. “Even just going into the locker room down the way we were against Ferris (a 71-33 loss), and just trying to be straightforward as possible with these young men as I can.

“I went, ‘Hey, listen, I’m not going to come in here and blow smoke up your backsides and tell you you’re going to win this game. We’re going to go out and make a stand and play for some pride and get better.’ And they were super receptive to that.”

On occasion, Rehkow will notice frustration or disappointment from one of his young players. That’s when he goes into a supportive role.

“They don’t know what they don’t know,” he said. “We keep trying to tell them to let the improvement just happen and little by little you’ll eventually start seeing results.”

Sometimes it’s hard for players to picture it in the future.

“It’s hard sometimes for a junior going, ‘Hold on, you’re going to be where when I’m gone?’ But what we emphasize to them is, you know, ‘You’re the foundation.’ ”

Seeing the gains

The Falcons suffered a 17-point loss to Shadle Park on opening night and it could have been easy for the young players to get discouraged. But they bounced back the next time out and earned their first win, a come-from-behind 82-75 win over visiting Southridge.

It was positive reinforcement when they needed it.

“It was definitely really important to give our team energy and confidence to go out and shoot the ball and go out and play defense,” Allen said. “A good way to start off the season.”

“We wanted to get a win as soon as possible,” junior guard Isaac Richardson said.

“Sometimes I feel like we start off slow, but overall I’m pleased with the way we are playing.”

Rehkow provided perspective.

“Any time you get the first win (is a relief),” Rehkow said. “And the way we got it was even more impressive, being down seven with 45 seconds left and coming back and winning by seven in overtime.

“That was a huge win and the thing that got them to understand, ‘Play hard and good things happen.’ ”