LAFAYETTE — Former Rensselaer Central coach Chad Pulver was not rehired in April, raising questions about his involvement in the game of basketball.
But Pulver still has a lot of passion left in him, which became evident during the recruiting process at Carroll County.
Pulver was hired Monday as the next head basketball coach at Delphi High School. The hire was announced Friday morning by Delphi athletic director Chip Dale.
“You can feel the passion and love that I have for basketball,” Pulver said. “And I knew that if the right opportunity to stay in the sport came along, I would definitely consider it. I love being around athletes and being able to impact the lives of student-athletes and help them transition from high school to adulthood.” and help you transition.”
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Pulver led the Bombers to a 92-75 record from 2018-2022 and helped the program win the IHSAA 2A Section title in 2022. The Bombers' section title was followed by a Hoosier Conference title in 2023.
“When we hire a coach, we look for a lot of different things,” Dale said. “We were looking for someone who would be a good fit for the community, the kids, and the coaches in our department. There were three different parts to the interview process, and he knew he wanted to come and join our basketball team. He continued to present content that made it clear that he was the man who was meant to lead the organization.”
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The 2023-2024 season was a tough one for both Rensselaer Central and Delphi, who struggled in the regular season and playoffs. Delphi is 11-13 and hasn't won a section title game or finished above .500 since 2019. Rensselaer Central finished 10-14 last season under Pulver, with Frankfort eliminated in the first round 70-57.
Pulver gets a new environment and Delphi gets a coach with a proven track record of winning.
“Our community in Delphi takes pride in our hard work,” Pulver said. “Our kids are going to play hard and the other team knows this team is going to come at us hard. I will try some different things to improve myself.”
Pulver emphasized playing at a fast tempo.
“The style of play I want to adjust is trying to speed up the other team on the defensive end,” Pulver said. “I like fast breaks and believe Delphi will grow with it. We are not one of the biggest teams, but if we play to our strengths, it will work in our favor. .”
The return of senior scorer Walker Jones, who scored 16.5 points per game, was part of Pulver's recruiting process.
“We involved kids in the interview process who seemed like they would be a good fit,” Dale said. “When he walked out of the room, kids were drawn to his personality.”