Double duty coming Laube's way

 MARION -- Before he added the Marion High School girls' basketball coaching job to an already substantial work load, Corby Laube asked his family for its opinion and its blessing.No problem. And no problem."My wife (Ami) figured it would be a no-brainer," Laube said Friday, soon after the school announced the hire, pending board approval."And my oldest daughter (Mia), she was mad when I stopped coaching last time."The school's athletics director for the last four years (and he will remain as AD), Laube succeeds Brian O'Donnell, who resigned last week after taking the principal job at St. Pius X Elementary School in Cedar Rapids."I'm really excited," said Laube, 37. "I love coaching. It's something that never leaves your system. I really care about Marion High School and the school district. I've been here my whole career."Laube was a business education teacher prior to becoming the AD.

His last coaching assignment was as the Indians' varsity boys' basketball coach (1999-2008), racking up a record of 119-81, including 104-53 in his final seven seasons.He was the Wamac Conference boys' basketball coach of the year four times, and led the team to three conference championships in a row his final three seasons (2006-08)."Corby is a tremendous coach, a tremendous person with tremendous character," said Cedar Rapids Prairie girls' basketball coach Steve Doser, under whom Laube was an assistant at Marion for two seasons in the late 1990s."He'll do a great job. Marion got this hire right."As AD, Laube didn't simply appoint himself as coach. He and principal Greg Semler discussed the options, and Semler ultimately decided that the Laube was the best option."I am confident that Corby has the skill, the organization and the drive to make this happen," Semler said. "When he's coaching, we have the administration to do coverage of events."As a coach, Corby is the best option because he has a high track record, he's a proven commodity. He is committed to this school and making kids be the best they can become."He will outwork anyone, and his basketball IQ is off the chart."Laube graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Mercy University in 1996 and obtained his Masters Degree from Coe College in 2005.  He played basketball at Mount Mercy, where he is the school's third all-time leading scorer (1,559 points).  Laube was a senior on the 1995-96 Mount Mercy basketball team which won 29 games, a conference championship, and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA National Tournament.  He was inducted into the Mount Mercy College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. Marion was 15-9 last season, earning a third-place finish in the Wamac Conference West Division. The Indians advanced to the 3A regional final before losing to eventual state champion Davenport Assumption.The Indians will return 49 percent of their scoring; Beth Knapp will be a senior next season, Emi Banes will be a junior, Michalyn Mohr and Amanda Sahm will be sophomores. The Laubes have three children -- Mia, 12; Kayba, 10; and Brayson, 7.