This winter will mark the first time in two decades the Washington Demon boys’ basketball team will not be led under the direction of Bryce Smeins. At their latest meeting, the Washington School Board approved Colin Stark as the new head coach of Demon boys’ basketball.

A 2009 graduate of North Butler High School, Stark was a second team all-conference performer in high school. He joined the Simpson College Storm’s junior varsity team in the fall of 2009, but a medical condition forced Stark to cut his collegiate career short.

Stark’s first coaching job came while he was still in college, becoming the top assistant of the Newton girls’ basketball team as a junior. After three years with the Cardinals, Stark spent one season as the head girls’ basketball coach of the BCLW Conrad Comets. A desire to coach boys’ basketball brought Stark to Washington, where he was a volunteer coach this past season under Smeins.

Stark takes over a basketball team which went 7-16 overall this winter, and will lose four players to graduation, including first team all-conference performer Derek Anding.