Joe Keller will leave his post as long-time head coach of Northridge High School and head south to the greater Indianapolis area to be the new head coach for both Fishers High School and the Fishers Area Swim Team.
Keller spent 26 seasons with Northridge, having built a perennial Indiana high school power, especially so on the boys’ side. The Northridge boys just wrapped up a strong year with their 15th-straight sectional title and 19th-straight conference title, while the girls just won their third-straight conference championship. At Indiana High School State, under Keller, the boys have finished in the top ten on 12 separate occasions, with three of them being third place finishes.
“This was a hard decision,” Keller said in a comment to Goshen News. “I can’t express enough thanks to the people in Middlebury. I can honestly say that, in all my years here, there has never been a day when the alarm went off that I thought ‘Oh no, I have to go to work today.’ That is saying something because most days the alarm went off at 3:05 a.m.”
Fishers just finished 8th at the 2017 IHSAA Boys Championships, while they put forth a 3rd place finish at the IHSAA Girls Championships. Keller will take over not just the high school team, but the club Fishers Area Swim Team as well.
“At the board meeting when I was hired, after my name was announced, I saw a hand go up,” he said. “I kind of wondered what that was about. There was a piece of paper in the hand and written in ink were the words ‘Beat Carmel.’”
Carmel is the cream of the crop when it comes to Indiana high school swimming. The girls just won an historic 31st-consecutive IHSAA title, a streak that outdoes any other high school athletic team, ever. “I’m not saying we are going to beat Carmel next year,” said Keller, “but after them Fishers and Northridge are the next two best teams in the state.”
I was in eighth grade when Coach Keller came to Middlebury. He is a man of vision and integrity and was an integral component to my success as an adult. He continues to live his vision, through hard work and dedication, touching many lives in the process. Your children, your community, and their futures are in good hands with Coach Keller. Thanks Coach!
Shame on whoever wrote that. When the parents and board stop focusing on Carmel the coach and team will be more successful. Good Luck to Joe-great coach!
Congratulations to Joe-one of the most talented coaches around and congrats to Fishers-you’re blessed to get such a wonderful role model and coach for your athletes.