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JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Jerry Bittner shares a laugh during North Idaho Christian School's senior night this past season. At right is Royals senior Chelsey Cate, who has played for NICS since fourth grade.

JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY Jerry Bittner shares a laugh during North Idaho Christian School's senior night this past season. At right is Royals senior Chelsey Cate, who has played for NICS since fourth grade.

June 21, 2026

Stories this photo appears in:

THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: 'Basically like my second father' —Jerry Bittner has impacted numerous lives as girls basketball coach at North Idaho Christian. Prior to that is quite the story as well
June 21, 2026 1:30 a.m.

THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: 'Basically like my second father' —Jerry Bittner has impacted numerous lives as girls basketball coach at North Idaho Christian. Prior to that is quite the story as well

“He was a good girls coach ... he would jam out to Taylor Swift with us,” said Amanda (Hobson) Thompson, a 2012 NICS grad. "To me, he was like a grampa — he had grampa energy to me, and I always completely trusted him.”