FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — There’s a new head coach at Fond du Lac High School. Josh Dilling, a Fondy native, is taking over the boys basketball program, bringing state championship experience and a Division I playing resume to the Cardinals.
“I thought that just the opportunity itself—being able to come home, be part of the community, and work with some players I already know—was special,” Dilling said. “Being able to work with this team and with the community just seemed like a really unique opportunity.”
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Dilling said he considered playing professionally overseas, but once he got the coaching job, he knew it was the right fit.
He reached out to former coaches right away and began planning for the season.
“Being at Oshkosh North and being from Fondy, I know the FVA very well. I know a lot of players and coaches, so I called a lot of them up—just, ‘Hey, any advice you’ve got for me? Anything that can help?’ Right away, we were working and getting after it,” Dilling said.
As a first-time head coach, Dilling made it a priority to form relationships with his players. At only 23 and fresh off his own basketball career, he connected easily with the team.
“Building that relationship—like, ‘Hey, we have the same interests, we listen to the same music, we talk about the same trends’—helps,” he said. “And understanding what they’re thinking on the floor really makes a difference from the start.”
Players say they’ve already embraced him as their coach.
“He’s one-on-one with every player in our program. You can tell he really wants to be here. He wants to get to know you,” senior Zavion Davis said.
“He makes sure we understand the drill, and he pushes us. He knows our limits and how we can perform—and he wants the best out of us every day,” junior Julius Ferguson said.
Even though Dilling is inheriting a young team that graduated six seniors, he has high hopes for the season.
“People ask, ‘What’s the expectation?’ Honestly, I’m pretty excited. I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people. I’m very confident—within the first week, I think we’re doing something right,” Dilling said.
