Doug Rodgers might be the youngest head varsity basketball coach in the WPIAL - which is just the way he planned it.

The Karns City graduate and Knoch girls basketball assistant coach recently accepted the position of varsity girls coach at Deer Lakes.

Rodgers, 24, helped Knoch's girls post a school-record 18 wins under first-year coach Curt Vasas. It was Rodgers' first year with the program as well.

"I was hoping to become a head coach at a young age because I don't want to coach my entire life," Rodgers said. "But it's something I'm very excited about right now. And I want to coach in the WPIAL."

Rodgers had spurned an opportunity to become head girls basketball coach at Class AAA DuBois last summer to move closer to home and join the Knoch staff.

He remains a teacher in the South Butler School District.

Rodgers succeeds interim coach Gene Suprano at Deer Lakes, which finished 3-17 overall, 1-11 in section play last season.

Deer Lakes will drop to Class AA in 2004-05. It has been a Class AAA school.

Tim Kaczmarek guided the Lancers to records of 15-8 and 14-10 in 2002 and 2003 before suffering a massive heart attack and taking a medical leave of absence last year.

Now healthy, Kaczmarek was among those who applied for the open position this spring.

"I knew a former coach there had applied again, but I didn't know of the circumstances," Rodgers said.

Deer Lakes, which won the state championship in 1985, will compete in the same section as girls basketball powers Freeport and Ford City next season.

"Those programs are always tough, but our immediate goal is to make the playoffs," Rodgers said. "Eventually, we want to take a shot at winning the section."

Rodgers still holds Karns City school records for career touchdown passes with 33, yards passing with 3,200 and points scored in boys basketball with 1,496.

He was an invited walk-on as a quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh and was third-string behind Matt Lytle and John Turman at Pitt before injuring his knee late in his freshman season.

He finished his education at Waynesburg College and did some volunteer assistant coaching with Larry Deal and Chris Bellis in Karns City girls basketball.

"I learned a lot from those guys," Rodgers said. "Larry and Chris are names on my resume. I owe them big-time.

"I consider my youth to be a plus. I was an athlete the same age as these kids only six years ago. I can relate to them and draw upon my own experiences as a player because it's so fresh."

Vasas said he's not surprised Rodgers has become a head coach so quickly.

"He's a knowledgeable guy who works with kids very well," Vasas said. "Doug was a big part of our success last year.

"To be honest, when I was 24, I doubt I was ready to be a head coach. But Doug definitely is. He's mature beyond his years," Vasas added.