Northwest Notes

Longtime Sandpoint soccer

coach Tajan resigns

SANDPOINT — Citing the desire to spend more time with family and feeling like the moment was right for a change, longtime successful soccer coach Adam Tajan resigned recently as the head boys soccer coach at Sandpoint High School.

Tajan stewarded both powerhouse high school soccer programs during his 15 years as head coach, compiling a stellar record of 185-70-40 and putting scores of players into the college ranks. During his eight years as the girls head coach he won state titles in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2009, while his seven years as the boys head coach yielded one state title in 2012.

Tajan said the time was right to hand the baton on to someone new.

“I’ve had some things go down family-wise that forced me to re-evaluate where a lot of my time is going. My family is getting bigger, and I want to spend more time with them,” said Tajan, who has a 3-year-old daughter. “The program is in need of different energy and ideas. It’s a good time to transition somebody new in there to carry the torch.”

Tajan was a homegrown Bulldog, playing soccer for Ed Bock before graduating from Sandpoint in 1995. He went on to play two seasons at Community Colleges of Spokane, then another two at Colorado State Pueblo before returning home to coach high school and club soccer.

He listed two memories when asked for the biggest highlights over a decade and a half.

“My last year with the girls (2009), and my state championship year with the boys (2012) were definitely the highlights through the 15 years,” recalled Tajan. “A girls senior class that was small but exceptional, and everything came together. With the boys team, I don’t think it was necessarily a group we expected to win state with, but that senior class combined with a talented junior group that was super hungry; that was a fun year as well. Every season has its moments. You don’t ever question what you’re doing.”

Tajan played at Sandpoint before the sport became sanctioned in Idaho high schools, back when games were played in the spring. The Bulldogs were a powerhouse then, much as they are today, with banners galore to prove it.

Tajan plans to continue teaching PE and health at Sandpoint Middle School.

Isakson returns

to Vandal athletics

Pete Isakson returned to the University of Idaho and athletics when he was hired as the Vandals’ Associate Athletic Director (External).

Isakson returns to the University of Idaho after 14 years at Washington State — the most recent of which were as the Director of University Initiatives for the WSU Foundation. His background, however, is athletics. His athletics career began at the University of Idaho when he was the assistant director for marketing and sales (1995-96). He spent the next two years in the Midwest before returning to Moscow as the Assistant Athletic Director for Development, Marketing and Promotions — a post he held for five years before accepting an Associate Athletic Director position at Washington State.