PURPLE REIGN

Jaden Isler is back with the Clovis Wildcats.

“You know when the opportunity came open it was just something I couldn’t pass up,” said the former Clovis player.

After 4 years with the Elida girls program, Isler was named the new boys basketball coach at Clovis High School this summer.

“This is my tenth year out of high school and it was kind of full circle walking back in the gym and obviously I’ve been around to some of the games and some of the players, but just being back there and where I played it’s a special feeling and the Clovis community is a special place and it’s where I wanted to be.”

The Clovis alum also returns to the school his dad, J.D., coached from 2001 to 2012.

“My dad had a great career and he was a great coach and a lot of players respected him.  I wasn’t really trying to fill his shoes as much as do well where he was at.”

Isler won four state titles in his four years at Elida with a career record of 100-22, setting the bar pretty high for his new job in charge of the Wildcats.

“Somebody asked me if there’s a lot of pressure going there.  I said ‘there’s no pressure like having eight state championships in a row and trying to follow them up every year.  They won four in a row before I went to Elida and there’s no more pressure than that than trying to win every year and keep that streak going.  I’m just going to do what I know how to do and that’s build relationships with players and get them to play hard.  We’re going to play a fun style and fast paced game and it will be something for the community to be proud of and hopefully we’ll have some success.”

If his previous track record is any indication, the basketball future looks bright in Clovis.