Zach Traphagen Named New Head Boys’ Basketball Coach

Zach Traphagen Hired as New Head Boys’ Basketball Coach

Pending District 2149 Board approval, Minnewaska Area High School is excited to announce the hiring of Zach Traphagen as the new Head Coach of the Minnewaska Boys’ Basketball program. In making this decision, Minnewaska Area Schools recently interviewed a number of highly qualified candidates through a process that included members of the school administration, Laker coaching staff, and the board of education.

A graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, Zach is currently a Health and Physical Education instructor at Minnewaska Area High School and the Head Boys’ Track & Field Coach. Zach was also a junior high boys’ basketball coach for the Lakers this past winter. 

Growing up in Worthington, Minnesota, he participated in basketball, football, and track & field for the Trojans. After high school, Zach played basketball at Minnesota West Community & Technical College before attending Minnesota State Mankato to pursue his bachelor of science degree in Health and Physical Education. Upon graduating from MSUM, Zach was hired at Canby High School as a Health and Physical Education Teacher. During that time, Zach assisted as a volunteer basketball coach at the varsity level before becoming the head boys’ basketball coach in 2015. While at Canby, Zach was the offensive coordinator for varsity football and assistant track & field coach for the Lancers. In July 2019, Zach and his wife Sarah, sons Tatum (2nd grade), Mackale (Kindergarten), and daughter Paisley (Pre-School) decided to move north to be closer to family. As a result, Zach accepted a Health and Physical Education position at Brandon-Evansivlle High School.  Zach became the Chargers’ head girls’ basketball and track & field coach upon hire. Although Zach loved his time teaching and coaching at Brandon-Evansville and working with so many great students, staff, and community members, his motivation for teaching in a bigger school district and coaching boys’ basketball continued to motivate him. Fortunately for Minnewaska Area Schools, Zach accepted a teaching position at MAHS in the summer of 2022. He has loved being a Laker since accepting his new MAHS Laker Health & Physical Education Teacher position. 

Zach grew up with a family that is invested in education and coaching as his dad is a former coach and activities director in Worthington, and he has two brothers that are both educators and coaches in the area. Zach is eager to pursue his educational and coaching goals at Minnewaska and continue the family tradition. In discussing this new opportunity, Zach stated, “I am honored and excited to be the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Minnewaska Area. The opportunity to lead a basketball program is something that requires commitment, responsibility, resilience, and passion. I believe these core values hold true not only for coaches to be successful but also for the entire program, including the players, administration, parents, and community members. We will work hard to ensure those values are at the forefront of the program so we can use the game of basketball to build high-character young men.

I look forward to immediately getting to work on helping this basketball program achieve success and be a sense of pride in our school and community. Go, Lakers!”