New IU East coach driven to continue golf program's success
He'll lead one team on its drive for another conference
title, and he'll help another get into the swing of intercollegiate
competition.
IU East Athletic Director Mark Hester announced Von Ebeling
will coach the Red Wolves men's and women's golf programs during the 2009-10
school year.
"Von is very passionate about coaching and working with
young people," Hester said. "He is an extremely hard worker and is a welcome
addition to the coaching staff."
Ebeling also will coach the JV men's basketball team.
Steve Bishop, the golf program's first coach, is on active
duty in Afghanistan.
Ebeling inherits a men's golf program that won the IU East
athletic program's first Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title in
2008 and finished second in the league in 2009.
"Our goal is to play well this fall and get a rigorous
schedule this spring to the point where they can repeat as champions of the
KIAC and further the golf program to a higher level," Ebeling said.
The IU East women's golf program will begin play this fall.
Ebeling is a Ball State University graduate and currently
resides in Darke County. He taught math to special education students in an area
school prior to coming to IU East.
Ebeling traces his athletic roots to age 6, when he started
hanging around the local high school's cross country team. He swam
competitively as a youngster. He played football, basketball and baseball at
Union City High School.
Ebeling has served as an assistant football coach at Union
City and Mississinewa Valley (Ohio) and as a basketball coach at multiple
levels. He credited longtime Union City coach and athletic director Rick Lacy
for grooming him for a coaching career.
Ebeling thinks the IU East golfers can benefit from his
swings as a coach in other sports.
"I'm an all-purpose coach," Ebeling said.
"What I want them to do is be confident from the start and believe in
themselves as an athlete. If we can build upon that as a base with the
confidence, their game will come along. We can observe them along the way and
pick out little bits and pieces."