Rec Sports
Debo has game plan to reboot Saints boys program with hard work, player development
NEW PHILADELPHIA − Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School was looking for a new boys basketball coach after a late resignation from former head coach Larry Taylor following last season’s 5-16 record. But the Saints quickly adjusted and found the man they wanted by recently selecting Chris Debo as the new Tuscarawas Central Catholic boys basketball […]

NEW PHILADELPHIA − Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School was looking for a new boys basketball coach after a late resignation from former head coach Larry Taylor following last season’s 5-16 record.
But the Saints quickly adjusted and found the man they wanted by recently selecting Chris Debo as the new Tuscarawas Central Catholic boys basketball head coach.
Debo has served as a varsity assistant coach for the Malvern girls basketball program for the last three years, but brings over 22 years of coaching at multiple levels of basketball. Getting his start with youth basketball, followed by many successful seasons coaching both girls and boys team at the AAU level prior to joining the Malvern girls program.
During the interview process, the Saints were impressed with Debo’s proven track record of excelling in the area of player development and were excited to bring him on board to lead the boys basketball program.
TCC athletic director Mike Sweet pointed out that throughout Debo’s career he has shown a consistent and successful ability to develop the skills and fundamentals of young basketball players at every level.
“Coach Debo brings energy, enthusiasm and his ability to work with kids of all ages up through to the high school level,” Sweet said. “His track record of development is impressive, he has his own basketball academy and has had a lot of successful kids go through his program.
“He has helped develop a lot of highly skilled kids who have excelled at the high school level.. That was a very appealing thing to us, and was a key reason we feel he is the right man to lead our program. We are excited and look forward to some big things with our boys program under his leadership.”
Debo stoked for first varsity coaching job
“This is my first varsity head coaching position,” Debo said. “And I’m very, very excited for this opportunity. It’s something I have dreamed about since my high school days and I feel I’m very well prepared to take it on. I look forward to getting started.”
Debo explained that being in the IVC, he was well aware of Tuscarawas Central Catholic athletics and always liked what he saw of the situation. So once the boys basketball position opened up he was interested right away.
“I’ve been around the IVC and both my daughter and son have played here in this TCC gym for Malvern,” Debo explained. “So I’ve always liked the fan support and passion for their teams. Plus, this felt like home. I went to Catholic school myself, K through 8th grade, growing up.”
“And I always enjoyed that small school feeling in a Catholic school setting. We talked about this opportunity as a family, prayed about it. And all just came to the conclusion it just felt like the right place for us to be. It’s just been great so far, my family and we have been made to feel very welcome. There is a lot of energy from the people we have met and it’s exciting.”
Late start not an issue…time to get to work
With the late hiring and many area summer high school basketball programs well under way, Debo admits its not an ideal situation, but hard work will be needed to make up for lost time.
“We lost a couple of weeks, probably cost a chance to go to some team basketball camps and shoot-outs,” Debo said. “But at the end of the day, you just have to roll with it. You can’t do any thing about it, you lost that time and now you just have to work harder to get caught up. We will work hard and make up that lost time.”
Debo explained he still hopes to put on a basketball camp in the next week or so and will be getting the boys into the gym as quickly as possible.
“We are just going to get in the gym and start to build that teamwork, that fellowship and togetherness you need,” Debo said. “Once you get in the gym, everything else will just take care of its self. Just getting the information out to the kids at all age levels. We want to see them all in the gym and working hard.”
Debo has simple vision for first year
“My goal for each kid once we step into the gym is to get one percent better each day,” Debo said. “That’s the low end goal, but if we can do that I think each kid by the end of the year will be dramatically better. And they are going to have more confidence and a move for basketball that might not have had.”
“And whether that translates into wins or losses I don’t know or really care,” Debo added. “But what we are going to do is play the game of basketball the right way. We are going to have great integrity, great sportsmanship and they are going to be leaders on and off the court.”
KSutton1@gannett.com; X: @KSuttonDJSports; Instagram: kevinsutton_dailyjeffsports