Lake City's Olstad moves on as Lake City coach

Pat Ruff, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

Jul. 24—Lake City had one of the top Class AA girls basketball teams in the state a year ago. The Tigers are expected to be near the top again and with much the same starting group.

There will be one key difference, though. That is their head coach. Fifth-year man Clay Olstad has announced that he is moving on, having taken a second-grade teaching job at the Rushford-Peterson School where his wife, Jade Olstad, also works.

Clay taught in Lake City last year, while Jade was in Rushford. They split the difference, both commuting to their work places from their residence in Winona. Now, with both having landed at Rushford-Peterson School, they've purchased a home in Rushford and can avoid all of that drive time.

Clay appreciates that, though he's going to miss coaching this Lake City team, a job he shared with his father, assistant coach Clark Olstad. A year ago, the Tigers reached the state tournament. They'll be favored to make it back there again this season, with such senior stars as guards Natalie Bremer and Lilly Meincke returning, as well as 6-foot-1 forward Mya Shones.

But they'll have to do it without the 29-year-old Olstad, a former star player at Plainview-Elgin-Millville where he was coached by his father.

"It was one of those moves that is best for the family," said Olstad, who along with Jade are the parents of a 4-month old baby. "Sometimes you have to sacrifice your own interests in times like these."

Lake City finished 19-4 last year and lost to New London-Spice in the first round of the state tournament. In Olstad's five years at the helm, the Tigers went 83-45, including 61-17 the last three seasons.