By Tanner McCord
Sports Writer 
Last season, the Coppell Cowboy varsity basketball team had a very solid season, finishing up with a total record of 23-10 and made a solid run into the playoffs. However at the end of the 2011-2012 season, long time coach Brad Chasteen retired after coaching an impressive 16 years of Cowboy basketball. Not only did the boys lose a long time coach and friend, but they also graduated several key seniors that played big roles on the CHS squad. Seniors include Warren Oishi, Austin Mankin and Jett Raines who is now a part of the starting lineup of the Pepperdine basketball team as a freshman.
Over the summer though, former Keller Central coach Kit Pehl got the call from CHS to come be the new head coach of the Cowboy’s and he graciously accepted the offer. Pehl already has a history at CHS, being a part of the 1999 through 2001 seasons as an assistant and while he coached, the Boys made it to the state tournament in ’99 and went undefeated in district play in the ’01 season.
With the loss of last years seniors, the 2012-2013 seniors certainly have some big shoes to fill, however their outlook on the upcoming season is positive. Coach Pehl will be changing the direction of the program from predominantly team based, to implanting a certain individuality to each player that will conform to a team setting, thus allowing each player to get the most out of themselves, for the benefit of the team.
With new coaches comes new playing styles and a new program. This season, the biggest changes for the Cowboys will be a lot more transition in their offense as well as a more aggressive defense. As a whole, the basketball team will being playing a lot more of a fast paced, forceful ball game that they have been preparing for since week one of practice.
Pehl has been whipping the team into prime condition to conform to his strategies and thus far the team has kept up and is looking forward to another great season of Cowboy basketball. The revamped team’s first chance to prove themselves is mere days away, as they will take on Creekview in a scrimmage at home on Nov. 7.
