Don Passenant is the new Rising Sun boys basketball coach. He replaces Matt Haack, who coached the Tigers for three seasons before accepting a teaching position in his home state of Michigan. Passenant has spent the last three seasons as Rising Sun's JV coach. Prior to that, he served as an assistant at Joppatowne for two years. He has also worked as an assistant in AAU programs and with recreation leagues and a Special Olympics team. Passenant, who also serves as an assistant with the Rising Sun track and field program, is a Social Studies and special education teacher at Newark High School. When the Rising Sun varsity position came open, Passenant did not hesitate to apply. "My wife (Diana Gatchell) told me to take it," he said with a smile. His positive experiences with the Rising Sun players the last three seasons made the decision a no-brainer. "Having been the JV coach the one thing that has impressed me is the character of the players," Passenant said. "They are good students. They work hard. And they're willing to learn." The JV team's results have been impressive. After a 5-15 season in his first year, Passenant led the squad to a 16-6 record two years ago and an 11-5 mark last winter. Many of those players will be part of this winter's varsity team. "I've coached all these guys on the JV," said Passenant. "I've seen them improve. They have the attitude to be successful and they know what it's like to be successful." Passenant prefers an aggressive brand of basketball. "I like to see a lot of hustle, playing hard defense, and getting up and down the floor quickly whenever possible," he said. His motto is borrowed from legendary DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten: "Work hard, play smart, have fun." Says Passenant: "I don't emphasize winning but losing sucks." Comments are closed.
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