Mike Strouse Takes Over as Northwest Area Varsity Basketball Coach
By: Devan Wade | Sportzwire | July 10, 2025 | Photo courtesy Team Photo
Former Mountain View Assistant Emphasizes Player Development, Chemistry, and a Team-First Culture
Northwest Area basketball has a new leader in Mike Strouse, who brings a blend of grassroots coaching experience, high expectations, and a deep belief in player-driven culture to the varsity program.
“My name’s Michael Strouse. I’ve been a coach for about four years now,” he said. “I did a couple various teams at the Riverfront in Scranton — AAU teams — and then the last two years I was at Mountain View as their JV and assistant varsity coach.”
For Strouse, the opportunity to lead a high school team means more than drawing up plays or managing a rotation. It’s about growth — on and off the court.
“High school is a great spot to be in,” he said. “You can touch so many different players and meet great people within the district. There’s a lot of opportunity for high school players to grow before they move on to college and start their lives.”
That focus on development is central to Strouse’s coaching philosophy. But transitioning from player to coach hasn't come without challenges.
“The biggest thing is not being able to physically get out there and do it for them,” he admitted. “It’s about giving them the tools they need to accomplish what they need to accomplish.”
Team chemistry and player development are key building blocks, especially in Strouse’s first year leading the Rangers. The team recently competed in the John Bucci Shootout at the Riverfront, a valuable early test.
“That was a great opportunity for us to get better and gel as a team,” he said. “Getting into the open gym and making sure everybody’s working together as one unit — that’s a big part of what we’re building.”
Strouse is also big on accountability — but not just from the top down.
“You don’t always want to hear that one voice,” he said. “I don’t want to be the only guy who’s always correcting or encouraging. I want these guys to encourage one another, and I want them to fix it when things need to be fixed. That way it’s not just me all the time.”
His approach stresses hard work and balance, especially during the demanding summer months.
“The offseason is a long season,” he said. “It’s not just basketball. It’s conditioning, weightlifting, and balancing all the other sports and life commitments. Some might even say the offseason is harder than the actual season.”
Despite the grind, Strouse is already optimistic about the group he’s inherited.
“Just from these couple open gyms, I think we’re all on the same page — that we can compete to win our conference, compete with the rest of the district, and hopefully go farther,” he said. “These guys are willing to put in the work, and they’ve shown me that already.”
His coaching style is shaped by personal experience — starting at home.
“My coaching style comes from my father,” he shared. “He coached me all through grade school and high school at Stroudsburg. And also from a couple of my college coaches — and Jim McAndrew specifically. I coached with him the last two years at Mountain View, and he really prepared me to take on a bigger role.”
Strouse has one final message for the Northwest Area faithful:
“Get excited. It’s gonna be a hell of a ride this year. Go Rangers.”
