Lapeer Community Schools is thrilled to announce that Bob Brydges has been named the head coach for the Girls Varsity Basketball program.
Brydges arrives in Lapeer with 30 years of experience having coached high school basketball in the area at Lake Orion, Bloomfield Hills Lahser and Waterford Mott, as well as with the Detroit Pistons/Detroit Shock AAU program. He coached the varsity programs at Lahser and Lake Orion.
"The first thing that really sticks out to me about Lapeer is that it's a big city with a small-town feel, and that was very appealing to me," said Brydges. "I know the district is extremely supportive of the athletics program and when you add everything up, coming here felt like the perfect fit. I look forward to immersing myself in the Lapeer community."
“We’re very excited to hire Coach Brydges to lead our girls basketball program," added LCS district athletic supervisor Austin Green. "He brings a winning pedigree and has had success everywhere he’s coached. More than wins and losses, Coach Brydges develops basketball players into great people. He understands the development aspect and his role in accomplishing that. Can’t wait for the season to get started.”
During his time with the Pistons/Shock from 1997-2006, Brydges led his teams to a pair of state championships and qualified three times for the national finals in Orlando, Fla., with a fifth-place finish in 2005.
Brydges also led Lake Orion to two district titles in 2022 and 2023, making a run to the regional championship game in 2023 where the Dragons eventually fell to West Bloomfield, the eventual Division 1 state champion that year.
His longest stint at Lake Orion, Brydges was a varsity assistant in 2012-13, freshman coach from 2013-15, JV coach from 2015-17, and varsity coach from 2018-26.
More than championships, Brydges finds more excitement in seeing his players move on to higher levels of the game.
“I’m proud to say I’ve helped develop multiple college-level players in my time as a coach,” Brydges said. “Player development has been a focus at every spot I’ve coached.”
Brydges has also attended numerous coaching clinics and BCAM (Basketball Coaches of Michigan) events throughout his career, enjoying the ability to learn from the likes of Bill Laimbeer and Larry Brown and numerous college coaches. He has been a BCAM member for more than 15 years and has also led high school basketball coaches in NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) training, which includes basic and advanced skills in offense and defense, developing a student-appropriate coaching philosophy, and providing effective communication strategies.
Next season with the Lightning, Brydges said his coaching style should breed success and marked improvement over the course of the season.
"I believe in hard work and playing strong defense," said Brydges. "We may not win every game, but we will never be outworked, that much I will say. We will be a team that is tough to play against and a team that strives to get better each and every day. Lapeer can expect a team that plays the game the right way, each and every night."
A 1986 graduate of Holly High School who attended Central Michigan University, Brydges currently resides in Northern Oakland County.
The 2026-27 Lapeer Girls Varsity Basketball season schedule will be released later this fall.