Pete DeBolt is not new to the area.

In fact, he graduated from Auburn High School.

And he has been coaching at Tahoma for the past five years.

He has spent his time assisting the varsity boys and girls basketball teams and this coming season he will head the girls program.

DeBolt was officially announced as head coach at the April 28 school board meeting, Tahoma Athletic Director Tony Davis tweeted.

He has been coaching basketball for the past 16 years spending time at Kentlake and Auburn Mountainview before coming to Tahoma.

This will be the first season as head coach.

“The timing was just right for this opportunity to be the head girls varsity coach,” DeBolt said in an email.

Aside from coaching basketball, DeBolt said he has also spent time coaching track.

He said when it came to making the decision to apply for the head coaching position, he enjoys teaching at Tahoma and “this gives me the opportunity to be even more involved at the school.”

Come this winter when the girls basketball team takes the court again, DeBolt said he believes in a strong defense.

“(A) team who gets after the ball,” he said is what he hopes to bring to the team.

At Tahoma, DeBolt has also been teaching math for the past five years.

The Bears summer league begins this June and the regular season will start up in November.