Bob Pels saw improvement with the Greenwood boys’ basketball team from the sidelines as a volunteer assistant last year.

Now Pels will look to build on that improvement as head coach. Pels was officially introduced on Monday, replacing Jordan Carter who stepped down in March after two seasons.

Pels, originally from Queens Village, N.Y., brings more than 30 years of basketball coaching experience and said he felt like Greenwood was the perfect place to get back into coaching.

“I was pretty close to signing a contract to coach in South Carolina and that same day I found out this job opened up,” Pels said. “The big turning point besides my family was the quality of the kids we have. The kids are wonderful. When the kids are fun, the games are fun.”

Pels most recently served as head coach for Texas Military Institute in San Antonio, Texas, where he averaged 27 wins per year. Pels has also coached at Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, Calif., Casady School in Oklahoma City, Okla., and Corydon Central High School in Corydon, Ind., and won a state championship in Vermont.

He said spending a year with the program will be a big help in the transition.

“It’s a huge advantage to know them before you get here,” Pels said. “I know exactly what they need and what they don’t need and what we need to work on. That’s a big plus for us, clearly. Over the summer hopefully we are going to knock out their weaknesses and develop their strengths. By the time the season starts, we will be in pretty good shape.”

Pels inherits a Greenwood program that finished 12-18 last season. The Gators haven’t finished .500 or better since going 16-16 in 2012-13, the last time Greenwood advanced to the Region 4 tournament. Greenwood is the only District 14 school other than Bowling Green or Warren Central to win a region title, winning the crown in 2008.

Pels said he understands the challenge, but faced similar in previous coaching stops.

“It is a tough district,” Pels said. “There are some outstanding players in this district that I saw, no question. I think as you coach for a while you realize everything isn’t the end of the world. The most important thing is to get yourself down to the basics, to learn how to play the game, and then let’s see what happens. I am not going to sit here and tell the kids, ‘We have to win the state championship or the season is a failure.’ Every team but one loses their last game. We are going to start by making sure we play the right way… and then usually things start to develop.”

Pels said the team will be fast paced and fun to watch, but also will focus on being strong on the defensive end.

He added he is eager to teach and watch the players – and the program – grow and enjoy success.

“These kids are terrific,” Pels said. “I had so much fun with them last year. They were like sponges. Kids don’t always want to hear about your footwork or your follow through, but these guys grabbed a hold of that and we saw some great improvement for these kids. They want to win. They really do.”

— Follow prep reporter Micheal Compton on Twitter @mcompton428 or visit bgdailynews.com.