By RICHIE HALL
A familiar coach is back in Hamilton County, one with a remarkable record of success.
And he’s ready to bring some of that success to Larry Hobbs Hall.
Tod Windlan was hired as the new boys basketball head coach at Sheridan High School on Thursday. After the afternoon school board meeting, Windlan was introduced at a presentation at the SHS cafeteria, where he addressed the crowd, then met the returning basketball players and their families, one by one.
“I just think it’s a great opportunity for me,” said Windlan. “I’ve spent 16 years in girls basketball, coaching the biggest games you could coach, the Hall of Fame, the state final games, sectional, regional, semi-states. I think this is a time in my career where it’s time for the move to go to boys. I had a son that played, successful player, won a state championship at Carmel.”
Windlan’s son Karsten was part of the Greyhounds’ 2019 Class 4A state championship team.
“I’m just blessed to be here and have the opportunity to do it and I look forward to working with the feeder program and getting it done,” said Tod Windlan.
Six of Windlan’s 16 years in girls basketball were spent in Hamilton County. First, Windlan coached the Hamilton Heights girls team for two seasons. In 2011-12, he guided the Huskies to a sectional championship and a 21-5 record. Then in 2012-13, Heights was the Class 3A state runner-up, finishing with a 23-3 record.
After one season at Warren Central, Windlan returned to coach the Carmel girls for four seasons, 2014-18. During that time, the Greyhounds were 87-20, won three sectional championships, the 2017 Hall of Fame Classic, and had the 2018 Miss Basketball in Amy Dilk, who is now a star for the University of Michigan.
“We wanted somebody that was local,” said Sheridan athletic director Beth DeVinney. “We wanted somebody that was committed to building a program, building a feeder program. Obviously, Tod’s had great success everywhere he’s been. We want to win now. We want somebody to come in and infuse passion and some life into our boys basketball program, and that’s exactly what he’s going to do.”
Windlan noted that the whole hiring process happened rather quickly.
“Once the process started, it was really swift,” said Windlan. “It was a late-night call, got in here the next morning. By that afternoon I was chosen. It was a very quick, swift process, but one that I am really looking forward to. Sheridan’s a sleeping giant in all sports, because I think Hamilton County’s growing this way. I think the school’s going to grow by enrollment. I think you’re going to see kids coming in here.”
The players that come out for Windlan’s team will need to be prepared to run. Windlan likes to play a fast tempo with everyone running up and down the floor. Look for the scoreboard operator to be busy as well: In Windlan’s 2017-18 season at Carmel, the Greyhounds averaged 69.2 points per game.
“That’s just how I’m programmed,” said Windlan. “We may have to tweak some things based on what the kids can and can’t do. They’re going to be in shape, they’re going to play hard and we’re going to be a fun team to watch.
“They’re not used to playing that way based on some of the game film I’ve watched,” said Windlan. “It’s just all about changing the culture here and getting back to trying to create a program like the football team. It’s successful and the kids want to come and play and be a part of it. That’s what we want here in basketball as well.”
Being a smaller school, Sheridan will have several multi-sport student-athletes on their teams, something that Windlan will encourage his players to continue.
“I think that’s wonderful, because anytime you get multi-sport kids playing, when they’re out of season, they’re still competing,” said Windlan. “And I don’t think there’s any substitute for competing. Too many kids play one sport. They don’t play the other sports, so they’re really not competing when they’re doing workouts and stuff like that. Competition breeds success. I want my kids playing.”
With activities at Indiana schools shutdown for a couple more weeks, the Sheridan players and their new coach won’t be able to get into the gym until July 6. Windlan said the first order of business is to get the middle school players (grades 6-8) in the gym first, then the high school athletes will being their open gym. During that time, Windlan plans to “work on skill breakdown, fundamentals of the game, and then start teaching them our offensive and defensive scheme.”
“When the fall rolls around and we’re ready to start practicing for real, then they’ll have a good knowledge of what we’re going to be about,” said Windlan.