If the foundation for a successful winter of basketball is built in the summer, Tyler Tracy should have a good head start in turning around the varsity boys’ basketball program at Poland Regional High School.

Tracy is the new coach of the Knights, taking over for Gregg Rose, who stepped down after compiling a 9-27 record in two years with the Knights.

Poland co-curricular director Don King said Tracy “displayed energy and excitement throughout the (hiring) process,” and apparently Poland’s players are making the same impression on their new coach.

“The kids have been great so far,” Tracy said. “What I like most is that they’ve shown the desire and will to be great. We’ve had great numbers for our summer games so far. We started individual workouts last week and the numbers have been impressive, and their work ethic has far exceeded my expectations so far.”

Tracy, 25, spent last year as an assistant coach on Travis Magnusson’s staff for Western Class C runner-up Livermore Falls. The two years previous, he served on Dick Meader’s staff at the University of Maine at Farmington after playing guard for the Beavers. He also coached varsity baseball at his high school alma mater, Piscataquis Community High School in Guilford.

Tracy was a swingman and a two-time Penobscot Valley Conference all-defensive team selection at Piscataquis and was a defensive stopper at UMF, so it’s no surprise that defense has been his starting point at Poland.

“He is a defensive-minded coach that values players’ heart and intensity,” King said.

“Our main focus is going to be at the defensive end,” Tracy said. “Obviously, we are in a very tough league. The competition is going to be challenging every night and we need to establish ourselves defensively. If we can be consistent at the defensive end, that’s going to allow us to compete at a high level every night and be in every game.”

Though he played and coached in other conferences, Tracy said he is familiar with the Western Maine Conference.

“When I was at Farmington, I recruited a few kids from the conference,” he said. “Obviously, there are four, five, six teams that are really established as tournament teams. I know the coaches. I know the coaching styles, so I’m not really going in blind. I kind of know what to expect.

Tracy is a physical education teacher at Monmouth Academy and resides in Lewiston.

The Knights finished 6-12 last year and graduated five seniors, including three starters.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Tracy said. “The program, I really get the vibe that it’s knocking on the door. The kids want it bad. There are a lot of great things already in place. I’m hoping that my hard work and enthusiasm rubs off on the kids and we really start to establish ourselves as a tough competitor in Class B West.”