When the Dakota Wizards were looking for a new head coach last year, they didn't have to look far.

Dave Joerger coached the team from 2001 to 2004, winning IBA and CBA titles in the process.

After spending two years in Sioux Falls, Joerger felt the time was right to return...and so far, its paid off.

Dan Williamson talked with him about his return home in the first of a five part interview.

"(Dave Joerger - Nat Sound:) Corey, take it out Corey!

(Dan Williamson:) You made the decision to come back to the Dakota Wizards. Now, had you stayed in Sioux Falls, you would have had the chance to move to the D-League regardless. But, what was it about the opportunity here with the D-League that drew you to coming back?

(Dave Joerger:) I think maybe because they had struggled the last year and a half to two years, a little bit in the office and a little a little bit on the court, and it is something that is very near and dear to my wife and my heart - the organization. Y'know, we bleed purple and green and always will and we got the job right out of college and I have been here and have so many friends here and we thought 'Y'know, lets go back and see if we can help' and y'know, it has been a fun season and we feel like we have got a lot of people involved.

(Dan Williamson:) Would you say that your return to Bismarck has gone how you imagined it, at least to this point?

(Dave Joerger:) Yeah, but is not finished! (Laughs) We feel like we have turned it around and we got things going on the court and in a good direction. We feel like our office staff has done just a tremendous job - we have good team atmosphere in there. Everybody is kind of on the same page with the ownership, the management and the coaches and the players so it is a really neat deal and we are building the baseline now again y'know, for the next four or five years to come and that is what we first tried to do when I first moved here and started this thing and y'know, Duane Ticknor kind of pulled the whole thing together for us and y'know 'this is how you carry yourself, this is how organizations act that want to be big-time' and that baseline was set and things ran for four or five years the way they are supposed to be - first class all the way - and I think now you are going to be able to see, with the management team that we have in place that whatever happens, I think that things are really going to be positive for the next four or five years. "


Part two of Dan's sit-down interview with Coach Joerger is coming up tonight at 10:00 central.

In this next installment, they'll talk about coaching philosphy.

Just a reminder, the Wizards will host Sioux Falls on Saturday Night in the Eastern Division Championship Game. Tickets are currently on sale. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list