Gentry adds former Razorback to staff

GENTRY — Sarah Pfeifer doesn’t know much about the town of Gentry or the high school. She does know the basketball there is good and she’s excited to be a part of it.

Pfeifer, a former Arkansas basketball player who has been the video coordinator for the University of Washington’s women’s basketball team the past two seasons, was hired as the junior high girls’ coach and varsity assistant at Gentry on May 27.

Pfeifer has known Gentry girls’ coach Tim Rippy for several years and played for Rippy’s father, Ron, at Ozark High, where she helped the Lady Hillbillies become a state power.

“I think I’ve been to Gentry once in my life,” Pfeifer said. “I’m putting my trust in Tim. I know him, know his family andknow they’re good people. I know the kind of basketball they’re going to play and it’s good basketball.”

Tim Rippy is also excited by the hire.

“I thought right away it would be a good fit,” he said. “She’s familiar with what we do offensively and defensively. I’m excited to get someone with her level of experience. She’s going to add something to our program with all the things she’s been exposed to.”

Pfeifer, an Arkansas team captain from 2004-07, had her eligibility extended after missing two seasons with injuries. She earned five varsity letters in six seasons.

Pfeifer is the only player to win the Southeastern Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year award twice and the only player at Arkansas to play for three different coaches in her career.

Pfeifer coached an AAU basketball team while she was playing at Arkansas that included players from Farmington and West Fork. She has also helped at Arkansas and Washington camps.

Rippy said he coached against Pfeifer during some of those summers and was impressed with how she worked with the players.

Gentry athletic director Brae Harper also hired former Springdale Har-Ber assistant Sean Price to coach the varsity boys’ team and changed how the coaches will assist each other.

In the past, the district had Rippy and former boys’ basketball coach Conlan Efurd, who was dismissed midway through this past season, assisting each other in varsity games.

Rippy will now be the junior high girls’ assistant and will be able to attendpractices for all the girls’ teams, seventh grade and up. Price and junior highcoach Nick Bartmier will have a similar situation with the boys’ teams.