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Chuck Bennett was not ready for his tenure as high school basketball coach at Speedway to come to an end.
Bennett, 55, was informed last week by the Speedway administration his contact would not be renewed. Bennett, a 1988 Speedway graduate, was an assistant on the staff for Trent Lehman when the Sparkplugs won the Class 2A state championship in 2002. A year later, Bennett took over when Lehman took the associate principal job at Norwell.
Bennett had a record of 187-300 overall in 22 seasons, including a 3-20 mark this year. But while the Sparkplugs have struggled through six consecutive losing seasons, he believed in the vision of the program and the conduct of his players.
Indiana All-Stars: Boys Juniors roster filled with size, talent
“I’m disappointed for sure,” Bennett said. “I’m going to miss the preparation, the scouting, the time with the players. Did I see it coming? I don’t know. It had been a little different the last year and a half or so. But nothing where I thought this was going to happen. Our kids were doing the right things. I thought we were doing what an education-based athletic program is all about.”
Speedway did pull an upset of Cascade in a Class 3A sectional game before losing to 24-win Northview in the sectional championship. The Sparkplugs won three sectional titles and a regional — all in Class 2A — during a three-year stretch from 2012 to ’14. The 2013 team, which finished 21-5, played Linton-Stockton to a 76-75 overtime game in the semistate.
Bennett’s youngest son, Camden, was a senior on this year’s team. Camden’s older brothers, Creighton and Cale, graduated from Speedway two years ago. But Bennett said he did not plan to get out of coaching after his sons were finished playing.
“I’ve coached 35 years and only seven of them I’ve coached my sons,” he said. “My motivation for coaching was not just because of my kids.”
In a letter to Speedway basketball parents, Bennett pointed out players over his 26 years (four as an assistant) had raised over $25,000 for Coaches vs. Cancer, coached 22 seasons of third- and fourth-grade basketball and posted a team grade point average above a 3.0 every year.
“I’m disappointed more than anything,” Bennett said.
Speedway athletic director Dan Maple did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Speedway has three juniors among its top four players, including leading scorer Drew Matelic (20.5 ppg, 6.9 rebounds).
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA basketball: Speedway coach Chuck Bennett let go after 22 seasons
Continue reading...
Bennett, 55, was informed last week by the Speedway administration his contact would not be renewed. Bennett, a 1988 Speedway graduate, was an assistant on the staff for Trent Lehman when the Sparkplugs won the Class 2A state championship in 2002. A year later, Bennett took over when Lehman took the associate principal job at Norwell.
Bennett had a record of 187-300 overall in 22 seasons, including a 3-20 mark this year. But while the Sparkplugs have struggled through six consecutive losing seasons, he believed in the vision of the program and the conduct of his players.
Indiana All-Stars: Boys Juniors roster filled with size, talent
“I’m disappointed for sure,” Bennett said. “I’m going to miss the preparation, the scouting, the time with the players. Did I see it coming? I don’t know. It had been a little different the last year and a half or so. But nothing where I thought this was going to happen. Our kids were doing the right things. I thought we were doing what an education-based athletic program is all about.”
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Speedway did pull an upset of Cascade in a Class 3A sectional game before losing to 24-win Northview in the sectional championship. The Sparkplugs won three sectional titles and a regional — all in Class 2A — during a three-year stretch from 2012 to ’14. The 2013 team, which finished 21-5, played Linton-Stockton to a 76-75 overtime game in the semistate.
Bennett’s youngest son, Camden, was a senior on this year’s team. Camden’s older brothers, Creighton and Cale, graduated from Speedway two years ago. But Bennett said he did not plan to get out of coaching after his sons were finished playing.
“I’ve coached 35 years and only seven of them I’ve coached my sons,” he said. “My motivation for coaching was not just because of my kids.”
In a letter to Speedway basketball parents, Bennett pointed out players over his 26 years (four as an assistant) had raised over $25,000 for Coaches vs. Cancer, coached 22 seasons of third- and fourth-grade basketball and posted a team grade point average above a 3.0 every year.
“I’m disappointed more than anything,” Bennett said.
Speedway athletic director Dan Maple did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Speedway has three juniors among its top four players, including leading scorer Drew Matelic (20.5 ppg, 6.9 rebounds).
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA basketball: Speedway coach Chuck Bennett let go after 22 seasons
Continue reading...
