I think what’s important is to look at the everything as a whole. So it’s not just me and the players, it’s the assistant coaches, it’s the managers, it’s the administration, it’s the booster club, it’s the traveling program, it’s the families and it’s the community. And I think that Park has all those things and I’m excited for the season.”

Coach Isaiah Wallfred

Veteran coach Isaiah Wallfred has been hired as the new boys' basketball coach at Park High School. He takes over for Mike Weah, who has led the program for the past seven years.

“I appreciate everything that Mike has done for our boys basketball program. He has put in a lot of time and energy for our student-athletes,” said Phil Kuemmel, Park Activities Director

Coach Wallfred comes to Park with a wealth of experience at both the high school and college levels. He was most recently the head coach at Simley High School from 2019 to 2024 and has also coached at St. Paul Academy and Summit School for four years and at North St. Paul High School from 2007 to 2009.

“I’ve been coaching for 20-plus years at the high school and collegiate level,” said Wallfred.

A Minnesota native, Wallfred was born and raised in Minneapolis, attended Highland Park High School in St. Paul. He attended the University of Minnesota and was a manager for the basketball team under coach Clem Haskins.

He has served as an assistant coach at Macalester College, University of South Dakota, St. Mary’s College in California and St. John’s University.

Wallfred’s best season in five years at Simley was 18-8 in 2021-22 where he directed the Spartans to the Section 3AAA quarterfinals.

Wallfred’s offensive and defensive philosophies emphasize unselfish play and competitiveness.

“Offensively we’re really going to share the ball, Wallfred said. “We’re going to be unselfish – a real focus on player and ball movement. Defensively we’re going to get up, we’re going to guard, we’re going to play hard, we’re going to compete. Our goal is to play with heart and with passion and to get those 50-50 balls and just to compete.”

Wallfred said he was familiar with Park’s basketball history but that his ultimate goal is to take the Wolfpack to the boys' basketball state tournament. Park has been to the state tournament just once, in 1973.

“I’m looking forward and I’m really excited about the opportunity,” Wallfred said. “I think that a lot of people, when they look at a basketball program, they look at the coach and they look at the players, and I think that’s kind of a narrow focus. I think what’s important is to look at the everything as a whole. So it’s not just me and the players, it’s the assistant coaches, it’s the managers, it’s the administration, it’s the booster club, it’s the traveling program, it’s the families and it’s the community. And I think that Park has all those things and I’m excited for the season.”

“We are very lucky to have someone with Coach Wallfred’s resume to lead our boys' basketball program,” said Kuemmel. “The high school and college coaching experience that he brings will benefit our program.

“Isaiah realizes the importance of building relationships with his players and is also excited to continue building the program from the youth level on up,” Kuemmel added. “His purpose is to ‘coach to help student-athletes develop on and off the court and to provide a positive environment centered on encouragement, support, discipline and respect, which will help Park’s student-athletes in both basketball and life.”

A “Meet and Greet” will be hosted by the Boys Basketball Booster Club at a date and time to be announced.