Former PH great tabbed to lead girls program | High School Sports
PENDLETON — To assume the reins for the girls basketball team, Pendleton Heights has turned to a very familiar face.
Former Arabian great and assistant coach Nick Rogers was approved Thursday evening by the South Madison Community School Corporation as the next girls basketball head coach.
“I’m just so excited to be able to do it where I played and where I’m going to spend my life,” Rogers said. “We’re Pendleton lifers, and I’m excited to continue to grow the program.”
Rogers takes over the position vacated by last month’s resignation of Chad Cook.
Rogers began his coaching career as an assistant for the PH boys program from 2009-12, which included two sectional titles. He followed that stint with a tour as varsity assistant and junior varsity head coach at Mississinewa from 2012-15 before stepping away from coaching in an official capacity to focus on a career with Remax Realty. But he stayed close to the game, developing youth programs and acting as a consultant to the Arabians boys program before returning to the sideline last year as an assistant for the girls team.
He posted a 2-1 record last year filling in for Cook, including a win over fourth-ranked Fishers, but this will be the first head coaching job for Rogers. He said in terms of potential coaching jobs, heading up the program at his alma mater is the summit.
“To me and where I’m at in my life, there’s only one place and one program that I would be willing to make this leap for,” he said. “To be given the opportunity to work with these girls in this community at my home school, I can’t even put it into words, honestly. It’s awesome. I’m excited, and I’m not looking to jump ship and hop to — this is kind of my Everest moment.”
As a player for the Arabians, Rogers scored 1,366 points, which is the second-most in school history. Rogers is also the most prolific rebounder in school history with 715 rebounds. He also holds records for field goal percentage for a season and career. Rogers was named an Indiana All-Star in 2005 and played collegiately at Southern Illinois and Anderson University before earning a degree from Ball State.
With community connection high on his priority list, PH athletic director Chad Smith said Rogers was the right pick from a large pool of quality candidates.
“Professionally, he’s built quite a network in the community, and he’s not shy. He’s a people person,” Smith said. “He’s going to make connections in the community. In general, he’s a very likable person.”
Rogers has been married to Leigh Ann Rogers for 12 years, and the couple has two daughters — Brinkley, 9 and Hadley, 6.