Notre Dame relying on experience to lead through tough schedule

With a new coach running the program, the Notre Dame Bulldogs are hoping for a successful 2023-24 season.

After a nine-year run at the helm of the Bulldogs program, Paul Unterreiner stepped down following last season, giving way to Jeremy Brinkmeyer who returns to Notre Dame as the head coach of the program.

“It’s great to be back in the gym and see all the kids,” Brinkmeyer said. “It’s exciting knowing we’re going to get to see each other every day for quite a long time now. It’s just the best time of the year.”

The Bulldogs are looking to bounce back from a 10-19 season that ended with a loss to Dexter in the district championship game.

Brinkmeyer will have some holes to fill in his first season with the graduation of seniors Reece Callow, Greg Dennis, Will Morgan and Brock Clippard.

“The good thing about being a new coach is that you’re open to everything,” Brinkmeyer said. “It’s really an open competition this year. We have a big junior class with a lot of guys who have played varsity minutes. We’re hoping that those guys are going to build off some of their experiences in the past and grow this year.”

From the summer workouts and practice time he’s had so far, Brinkmeyer knows which players he expects to play a big role.

“We’re hoping to see a lot from Kolton Johnson, Will Henry Steward, Logan Landewee, Carson Essner and Brett Dohogne,” Brinkmeyer said. “We also hope we have some new juniors step up into their roles as well this year.”

Despite these expectations, Brinkmeyer and his staff aren’t putting too much pressure on them.

“I’m not a big person that believes in potential in all that stuff,” Brinkmeyer said. “I say it all the time, but if you start focusing on the mountaintop, you’re going to trip on the molehill. I just try to look at things day by day and see what we need to work on and what we need to get better at. Like I said, if you start looking too far down the road, you’re not going to win the moment today.”

The Bulldogs open the season at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 when they host Charleston.

Following that matchup, the Bulldogs will play in the SEMO Conference Tournament, travel to Park Hills Central and then host Sikeston.

“The SEMO Conference is the best conference in Missouri,” Brinkmeyer said. “It’s an honor to coach in this conference. It’s got some of the best coaches and people that are going to go down as some of the best coaches in the state. It’s an honor to be able to compete and battle with them week in and week out. It’s going to be a challeng, but it’s one we’re excited for. You get into sports because you want to compete against the best.”

With the challenging start to the schedule coupled with the strength of the SEMO Conference, Brinkmeyer hopes it will have his team battle tested come postseason time.

“When I went to Notre Dame, we made it to state with a losing record my senior year,” Brinkmeyer said. “You want to play the toughest competition you can because once you get to districts, everyone is 0-0. The regular season is like your quizzes, and the final exam is at the end of the year, so you have to prepare for that.”