Merlie Named New Boys Basketball Coach

DOVER - The Western Boone school board approved Jim Merlie as the new head boy’s basketball coach at Western Boone. Western Boone had approximately 50 applicants for the position, and Coach Merlie rose to the top of the candidate list when reviewing teaching openings and coaching experience. Coach Merlie comes to Western Boone from Indianapolis Manual, where he compiled a 26-43 record in three years and led Manual to its first Sectional Championship in twenty years this past season before losing in the Regional to eventual state champion, Guerin Catholic. This season’s 12 wins were the most since 1990, and Coach Merlie also had a 100% graduation rate during his stint as the head coach, and in 2010-2011 had the highest team GPA for all ten Indianapolis Public Schools playing basketball.

Coach Merlie also coached two Division I athletes while at Manual; Chrishawn Hopkins, who now plays for Brad Stevens at Butler, and Jason Smith, who will play for Pat Knight at Lamar.  Merlie will also teach Special Education at Western Boone. He graduated from Marian College in 2003 with a BA in Education.

Prior to becoming a head coach, Merlie spent three years as the Junior Varsity Coach and Varsity Assistant Basketball coach at Manual.

He and his wife Tina, have two sons, Kyle (3) and Max (1). They currently live in Pike Township.