Longtime Cd'A softball coach Bieber to step down after season

COEUR d'ALENE - Longtime Coeur d'Alene High softball coach Larry Bieber said this will be his last season coaching the Vikings.

Bieber has coached Coeur d'Alene since 1995, with a career record of 439-149. Under Bieber, the Vikings have won five state softball titles and finished second seven times.

"My wife (Eileen) has been a coaching widow for 40 years," said Bieber, who also coached the Coeur d'Alene High boys basketball team from 1994-2003, including a state title in 1998. "It's time to start doing things with her, going to the grandkids' games ... "

Bieber plans to still teach math at North Idaho College. He retired as a teacher at Coeur d'Alene High 12 years ago.

He and former assistant Mike Baum, who has returned to the program this year, are grooming Jenna (DeLong) Fore, a former Coeur d'Alene High standout softball player, to be his potential replacement. Fore is coaching the Viking junior varsity softball team this season.