Before winning his second straight boys’ state basketball championship, Windham High varsity basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen notched his 100th career win during the state semifinal game against Portland on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, just 10 years after becoming the team’s head coach.
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| Windham High varsity boys' basketball coach is interviewed after his team won the state championship defeating South Portland on Saturday, March 1. Pulkkinen posted his 100th career victory earlier in the state playoffs during the state semifinals against Portland. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA |
Pulkkinen has always had a personal goal of giving back to the town where he grew up. He is grateful for the opportunity to do so.
After college, Pulkkinen got the opportunity to achieve a lifelong goal – to play basketball professionally. He was invited to several pro-camps where he was scouted internationally and selected by the Northampton Neptunes in England. He was involved in the team’s developmental program, working with nearly 400 kids from ages 8 to 16 teaching them basketball. It has become one of the most enriching experiences of his career.
“Working with Chad, and the rest of this staff, is one of the most rewarding parts of my life,” said Windham assistant coach Geoff Grigsby. “Chad, specifically, is why I wanted to join the program in the first place. Watching a couple years of him coaching at WHS showed he had a lot of potential as a coach. I appreciate the culture he's built and the relationships that will last a lifetime because of his leadership far more.”
In 2015, it was Pat Moody who recruited Pulkkinen for the WHS head coaching position. Pulkkinen and his wife had just had their second child and coaching wasn’t on his mind. Although hesitant, Moody could sense this and continued insisting he could excel in the coaching role. Eventually, Pulkkinen took the job and says that he’s glad he did.
“From the start, Pat set me up for success, including introducing me to two incredible assistant coaches who had already been part of the program: Peter Brown and George McCrillis,” said Pulkkinen. “They are two of the best people in this town. I was fortunate to have their experience and guidance in those early years.”
McCrillis is still coaching with him today alongside three other coaches including Grigsby, Noah Estey and Chris Sargent.
“It’s hard for me to explain what a big part (coaching) is in my life,” said McCrillis. “It’s more than just basketball; it’s the kids, it’s the relationships, it’s their families, the community – and that really starts with Chad. We demand high standards and good sportsmanship. To us it’s about the big picture ... it’s not just about wins and losses (for Chad) and trying to feed our own personal egos. He talked about this right from the get-go that he wanted to develop a culture in Windham that Windham would become known throughout the state as a basketball town.”
Pulkkinen was so intensely focused on the team’s success that McCrillis had to remind him the semifinals victory was his 100th win.
Basketball is a vehicle for life and Pulkkinen, along with his coaches, want players to leave the program feeling prepared for life’s challenges through basketball. The game teaches invaluable lessons about resilience, teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. It means a lot to him to know that he has played a small part in his players’ success, hopefully, has had a positive impact in their journey.
“The impact that he has on us is tremendous, he builds confidence in us on the court as people, students, children,” said senior AJ Moody. “He’s the best coach I’ve ever had; he pushes us through walls to make us the team we were during the State Championships.” <
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