Elkhart Central Boys' Basketball

 

 

 

Varsity Head Boys' Basketball Coach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Randy DeShone

Position:  Varsity Head Boys' Basketball Coach

College/Graduating Year:  Ball State University

Years Coaching:  26 Years Coaching Experience

 

Randy's Bio:

 

The 2014-2015 Elkhart Central Boys' basketball season will mark the 1st season for coach Randy DeShone.  Coach DeShone comes to Elkhart Central after a 23 year stint at Jimtown High School.  DeShone spent twenty years as the head boys' basketball coach and mathematics teacher, for the Jimtown Jimmies, from 1991 to 2011.  During the last three years, 2011-2014, Randy was the assistant principal for Jimtown High School.

 

Coach DeShone started his teaching and coaching career at Penn High School.  Before, taking over the Jimmies, Randy coached 7th grade basketball for 3 years at Schmucker Middle School, 1 year as the 9th grade head basketball coach for Grissom Middle School, and 4 years as the JV head coach for Penn High School.  Then, in 1991, Coach DeShone became the 17th head boys' basketball coach for Jimtown High School.  For 20 years, Randy was at the helm for the Jimmies, becoming the longest active coach and winningest coach in Jimtown High School history.  

 

Coach DeShone has compiled a 242-200 (55%) record during his 20 years at Jimtown.  From 2001-2008, the Jimtown Boys' basketball team compiled 122 wins, 42 losses, good for a 74.4% winning percentage.  During this period, Jimtown High School's Varsity Boys' basketball teams ranked 18th in winning percentage throughout the state of Indiana at 74.4% which includes all classes.  During the 2003-2004 season, the Jimmies became 2004 Indiana State Basketball Champions in 2A which is still the only basketball state championship in Elkhart County history.

 

DeShone brings with him a staff with great amount of experience.  Varsity assistant coach, Ryan Gingerich, who spent 13 years as the junior varsity basketball coach, with DeShone, at Jimtown High School.  Coach Gingerich was a vital part of the success at Jimtown.  DeShone says, "Our success at Jimtown stepped to a new level when Coach Gingerich became the JV coach.  He has great basketball knowledge and is very willing to take on any task you ask of him.  Also, he was instrumental in Jimtown's 2004 State Championship and 2002 Regional Championship runs.  In both cases, the team played two games in one day for the regional.  After winning the first, we played a second game at night.  Ryan was completely in charge of the scouting and game plan for the second game.  Without his preparation and game plan Jimtown would not have won."

 

Other coaches involved with the program include Bodie Bender who will be the Head Junior Varsity coach.  Coach Bender is a former player of Randy's and was the building block of the first Regional Championship for Jimtown in 2002.  Coach Bender was the team captain during the 2000-2001 season.  Because of his leadership and hard work, he prepared the younger players for success the following year.  Coach Bender spent 3 years as the Junior Varsity coach at Tippecanoe Valley and 1 year as a Varsity Assistant at Manchester High School.  Bodie is the first former player, of Randy's, to become part of his coaching staff.

 

Keidrick Stout is taking the helm as the 9th grade coach, a position he held last year.  Keidrick is a great role model for young people and an asset to the program.  Development of the 9th grade players, for a varsity role, in the future is critically essential for a successful program.  Coach Stout is involved in many community activities including several roles at Tolson Center.  

 

Rich Toth returns to Elkhart Community Schools, after being the 9th grade coach, for Northridge High School for the past 5 years.  Coach Toth spent 35 years coaching and teaching in the Elkhart Community Schools before retiring.  You will see Coach Toth still tutoring students and volunteering his time for Elkhart Community Schools.  Coach Toth will be a varsity assistant and support the other teams in the program as needed.

 

The boys' basketball coaching roster also includes Eric Chandler.  Coach Chandler is the Dean of Students for Roosevelt Elementary and brings a great deal of positive attributes to the coaching staff.  Eric will be the JV assistant coach and work a great deal with Coach Bodie Bender.  Coach Chandler will also be working with our 7th and 8th grade programs in the feeder system to help develop young players skills and talent.

 

The final assistant is Matty Windy.  Coach Windy guided the Blue Blazer varsity team from 2005-2011.  Coach Windy retired from coaching but realized how much he has missed beign involved with basketball.  Coach Windy will assist the program in many ways.  He is going to guide the 7th and 8th grade AAU program.  Also, Matt is currently assisting the 7th grade Northside team and will be assisting the high school program when time permits.  Coach Windy will be a important part of developing our younger players to compete at the varsity level.

 

When asked about the success of the 2014-2015 boys' basketball team, Coach DeShone is very open about several question marks and all the different concepts that need to be taught.  Coach DeShone talks, "Winning is the result of doing things right!  Therefore, we are not going to talk about winning and losing but about consistently doing things right on and off the floor."

 

Coach Randy DeShone is married to his wife Tracy DeShone and has six children, with four sons; Derrick, Brian, Adam, and Matt, and two daughters; Sarah and Natlie. 

 

 

 

 

Varsity Assistant Boys' Basketball Coach

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Ryan Gingerich

Position:  Varsity Assistant Boys' Basketball Coach

College:  Manchester College

Years Coaching:  16 Years Coaching Experience

 

Ryan's Bio:

 

Ryan Gingerich graduated from Goshen High School in 1993.  He was a three-year varsity starter for Coach Mike Sorrell, who won more games at Goshen, than any coach in it's history.  Rhan attended Manchester College and received his bachelor's in Secondary Education Social Studies.  Ryan has taught at Jimtown High School as a social studies teacher since 2000.

 

Ryan was a Junior Varsity Boys' coach at Jimtown High School, under former Jimtown head coach, Randy DeShone from 2001-2011.  From 2001-201 Jimtown won more varsity boys' basketball games than any school in Elkhart County.  Ryan was also a varsity assistant, under head coach, Ron Dietz during the 2013-2014 season at Jimtown.

 

Ryan is married to Alison Gingerich and they have two boys Leighton- 7 years old and Carson- 5 years old.

 

 

 

Junior Varsity Boys' Basketball Coach

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Bodie Bender

Position:  Junior Varsity Boys' Head Basketball Coach

College/Graduating Year:  Ball State University B.S. '07 MA '15

Years Coaching:  8 Years Coaching Experience

 

Bodie's Bio:

 

Bodie Bender, prior to becoming a student at Ball State University played for head coach, Randy DeShone, at Jimtown High School from 1997-2001 earning three varsity letter awards.

 

While embarking at an academic career, at Ball State University, Bodie, was very involved and had many duties for the athletic department.  He worked as a public address announcer at baseball, track and field, and field hockey games.  Also, Bodie, acted as the color commentator for Ball State Mens' Basketball, under the student ran radio station of 91.3 WCRD, for two seasons.  While calling basketball games on the air waves Bodie, and his partner on the radio, Michael Towne, received the first ever IASB 1st place play-by-play segment award in school history for 91.3 WCRD.

 

Prior to graduating from Ball State in 2007, Bodie, from 2006-2007, became the freshman boys' head coach and varsity assistant at Union (Modoc) High School for former head coach Mark Kerkhoff.

 

After graduating from Ball State, Bodie taught at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, from 2007-2012, and served as the JV boys' basketball head coach for three of those seasons, from 2007-2010, under Hall of Fame head coach, Bill Patrick.

 

In the fall of 2010, Bodie joined head coach Randy DeShone's staff at Jimtown where he served as the freshman boys' head coach and a JV/Varsity assistant.

 

In 2012, Bodie joined head coach Eric Thompson's staff at Manchester High School where he acted as the varsity assistant and was instrumental in helping put together scouting reports and breaking down game film.

 

In 2013, Bodie rejoined the Jimtown basketball staff as a varsity assistant, under former head coach Ron Dietz.

 

Currently, Bodie teaches physical education/health at Elkhart Central High School in Elkhart, Indiana.

 

Keidrick Stout- Freshman Boys' Basketball Coach

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Keidrick Stout

Position:  Freshman Boys' Head Coach

College/Graduating Years:  Kentucky Wesleyan College B.S. '06

Years Coaching:  8 years Coaching Experience

 

Keidrick's Bio:

 

Keidrick Stout, prior to becoming a student at Kentucky Wesleyan College played for head coach, Steve Johnson, at Elkhart Memorial High School from 1997-2001 earning three varsity letter awards.  

 

While embarking on an academic career at Kentucky Wesleyan College, Keidrick, was on KWC mens' football and basketball team from 2002-2004.

 

After graduating from KWC, Keidrick, substitute taught throughout Elkhart Community Schools, from 2006-2007 also coached girls' basketball at Westside Middle School.  In the summer of 2008 to 2010, Keidrick, was the feeder system basketball director at Lutheran High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.  In the Fall of 2010 to 2013, Stout, served as 7th and 8th grade head & assistant basketball coach at various schools in the ECS system.

 

In the fall of 2013, Keidrick joined former head coach, Troy Noble, and his staff at Elkhart Central High School and will remain on that staff in 2014 for new head coach Randy DeShone, where he will serve as the freshman boys' head coach.

 

Currently, Keidrick is the Detention Supervisor at Elkhart Central in his 2nd year, as well as, the Sports/Recreation Supervisor at the Tolson Community Center.

 

Keidrick is the father of 3 beautiful children, Kailee- 11, Gavin- 9, and Weston-7.

 

 

Rich Toth- Varsity/JV Boys' Basketball Coach

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Rich Toth

Position:  Varsity/JV Boys' Basketball Coach

College/Graduating Years:  Purdue '75 & Indiana University South Bend '80

Years Coaching:  35 Years Coaching Experience

 

Rich's Bio:

 

Rich brings a plethora of basketball knowledge to the Elkhart Central coaching staff.  When Rich started his teaching career, at Westview High School, in 1976 he also served as the freshman boys' coach until 1980.  In 1980, Rich moved onto Elkhart Community Schools where he coached the Brookdale freshman girls' team until 1982.

 

After 8 seasons of coaching junior high boys' basketball and a couple different stints as an assistant baseball coach, at Elkhart Central, Toth became the freshman boys' basketball coach at Elkhart Central High School from 1990 to 1995.

 

After a 5 year hiatus, in 2000, Rich became the North Side boys' 7th grade basketball coach until 2005.  In 2008, Toth became the freshman boys' basketball coach at Northridge High School until 2014.

 

In 2010, Toth retired from Elkhart Community Schools, after 34 years of teaching.  Rich is married to his wife Beverly and has two children, Erin and Ryan.

 

Eric Chandler- Varsity/JV Boys' Basketball Coach

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Eric Chandler

Position:  Varsity/JV Boys' Assistant Basketball Coach

College/Graduating Years:  Indiana University South Bend B.S. '10 & American College of Education MA '14

Years Coaching:  8 Years Coaching Experience

 

Eric's Bio:

 

Eric Chandler, prior to becoming an assistant coach for Randy DeShone, played basketball all four years (1989-1992) at Elkhart Memorial High School.

 

Coach Chandler was an assistant coach for the West Side Wildcats from 2000-2005.  Also, Eric coached flag football in the Uprising Stars flag football league for three years.

 

Currently, Eric is the Academic Dean at Roosevelt STEAM Academy in Elkhart, Indiana.