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Chelsea’s David Simpson launches a 3-pointer. Photo by Cari Dean.
Nick Baumbaugh is from Indiana, but he feels right at home at Chelsea.
“I’ve wanted to be a head coach, and I’m just thrilled it’s Chelsea High School,” the first-year boys coach said. “My wife’s from Sylacauga, and I wanted to be at Chelsea. We live here, it’s a great place to make a home.”
Baumbaugh is beginning his sixth year at the school, working his way up the ranks as junior varsity coach. He replaced Michael Napp, who moved to UMS-Wright. “Whatever we do this year will be a reflection on what Coach Napp did. He’s laid the foundation.”
He’s excited about the players coming back and the ones moving up from junior varsity with him. The varsity was a competitive 7-18 team, and Baumbaugh’s JV team went 15-3.
“I’m really excited to have that strong JV group to go with the experience we have coming back.”
Coming back is Darrell Foster, who averaged 13.8 points and 10.3 rebounds a game. Josh Pugh comes back at a forward, and David Simpson brings back his 8.5 points a game rate as a junior back for his senior season. Will Welch returns as a post player, and he’s joined by Ben Haskins, up from the JV team.
The Hornets will likely be a perimeter-oriented team, though.
The four out, one in motion offense features Simpson, sophomore Joseph Lanzi and Aaron Washington.
“David Simpson is a fantastic outside shooter for us. Our goal is for him to make three 3s a game. Lanzi can shoot the basketball. Aaron Washington, a junior up from the JV, he can shoot some.” Washington averaged about 14 a game last year for the JV.
Jeremy Wilson, Baumbaugh said, is maybe the only true point guard. But Grant Mitchell, Calen Russsell and Michael Towery are other guards in the mix. Coty Williams and Stephen Lanzi provide depth.
Baumbaugh said his team will be a 3-point shooting team – “we want to put the ball in the hands of our shooters” – and then it’ll be up to the athletes inside such as Foster to hit the glass and get some putbacks.
Mostly, the Hornets will play man defense and look for more full court pressure.
The new coach feels excitement in town and at the school about the successful season the football team is having and believes winning breeds winning. He thinks that and the chemistry he believes his basketball will have are strengths.
“It wasn’t like a new guy coming in,” Baumbaugh said. “I think the administration is excited, the kids are excited and I’m excited.
“That was the best JV team I’ve had in six years, and I think they’ll mix right in. The seniors have set the tone to teach the younger guys what’s expected.
“Our goal is to win the area and have a winning record. That may not sound like much, but Chelsea hasn’t won the area since 1986 and hasn’t had a winning season since 1986 either.
“That’s too long. So those are our goals.”
