Spending 17 years on the bench has provided Zach Skrinjar with a wealth of knowledge about the WPIAL basketball scene. When the Fox Chapel boys basketball coach had an opportunity to put on the headset and do color commentary on Trib HSSN for two championship games at Petersen Events Center, he was happy to take the opportunity.
Skrinjar called the Class 6A championship game, which saw Upper St. Clair beat New Castle, and the 5A game, which was a Chartiers Valley win over Thomas Jefferson.
“It was an amazing experience,” Skrinjar said. “It’s something I’ve always had a fondness for and wanted to do. When I was contacted about the opportunity, it was like a dream journey.”
If Skrinjar was going to do it, he insisted that he wanted to be prepared. Skrinjar had first-hand experience coaching against three of the four teams he covered.
The Foxes, who finished 14-10, beat Chartiers Valley, 47-41, on Dec. 6 on the road. Fox Chapel lost both of its Section 1 meetings with New Castle and was eliminated from the postseason by Upper St. Clair.
The Foxes also scrimmaged Thomas Jefferson. But it wasn’t enough information for Skrinjar.
“I talked to a couple coaches who played against them more recently,” Skrinjar said. “One of the things I wanted to do was to make sure I was prepared because I wanted to do a good job. It was similar to preparing for a game.”
While coaching prevents Skrinjar from watching too many other games during the season, he said he routinely watches other games online. He also has a text message chain with his coaching staff where they discuss results.
“I like checking up on how teams are doing,” Skrinjar said. “I have a lot of friends who are coaching. It’s something I enjoy doing.”