Brandon Appleton is making the move from head coach of the Angola girls basketball team to the Hornets boys team.
The hire was announced by the Angola athletic department following MSD of Steuben County board approval on April 21.
"As a basketball coach, it's been a dream for a while," Appleton tells ParkviewSportsMedicine.com. "It's humbling to have this opportunity."
Appleton spent the last 6 seasons as the girls head coach, amassing a 114-40 record. Under his direction, the Lady Hornets won two regular season Northeast Corner Conference Championships, two NECC Tournament titles and a sectional title. This past season, Appleton led Angola to 21-3 mark and No. 9 ranking in the final 3A poll.
"It's definitely bittersweet, because I've built so many relationships with the girls," he adds. "I've told them through the years that you can learn the game from other coaches. And, I'm still going to be in their lives. I'm still going to be at Angola."
Appleton, who teaches physical education at the middle school and is head coach of the AHS boys soccer team, benefits from already knowing several of the boys. The players benefit from recent success that includes sectional championships in 2016, 2018 and 2019. The program benefits from the overwhelming support of the community.
"They are great kids in a great commmunity, and that's a credit to the parents," he says.
Prior to being Angola girls coach, Appleton was a JV boys basketball coach at Indianapolis Scecina Memorial High School. He played high school basketball at Peru and college basketball at Tri-State.