After six years as New Prairie girls basketball’s junior varsity coach, Ryan Curless was named the Cougars’ new varsity head coach Monday, April 27, taking over for Aimee Litka who resigned April 2. Also serving as New Prairie baseball’s junior varsity coach and standing as a proud Cougars alumnus, Curless said his promotion would have never been possible were it not for what he has learned from Litka and 2018-20 head coach Todd Dermody.
He said when he applied for the job, Curless knew returning players would appreciate having someone they knew and trusted leading them. Curless is exactly that, even hearing from a parent that their daughter cried when they learned Curless would be her new head coach.
“I’ve seen these girls develop over the years, and I really know what they’re capable of,” Curless said. “Being able to put them in positions that can make them successful, believing in them and knowing what I can get out of them is really going to give us an advantage.”
While this is Curless’ first IHSAA varsity head coaching role, he sat on the bench for countless varsity games during his time leading the Cougars’ JV team, picking up on opposing coaches’ strategies and tendencies. He’ll be able to put those to use now, something that could prove especially helpful in a competitive Northern Indiana Conference (NIC) or the annual Bi-County Tournament.
Curless said his own coaching style is founded upon positive energy and creating specific roles for each player. He said not every player can be Michael Jordan, and if the Cougars want to be successful, they’ll need some Dennis Rodmans.
“We’re going to go after teams,” Curless said. “We’re really going to push them to their limits; and the idea is even if we don’t win the game, we want that team to say, ‘We don’t want to play New Prairie.'”
Curless is New Prairie’s fifth head coach of the decade and seventh since 2000. Litka went 58-78 in six seasons leading the Cougars, a program that has only two winning seasons out of the last 22. However, New Prairie captured an IHSAA 3A sectional title in 2024 with a 20-6 record, showing that modern success is possible in New Carlisle.
Athletic Director Mark McBride believes Curless can lead the Cougars to their fifth sectional title in program history sooner rather than later. Curless said the key to success, whether in the regular season, conference play or the state tournament, is to play fearless.
“Coach Curless brings a strong passion for the game, a commitment to student-athlete development, and a clear vision for building a system for younger girls at New Prairie. His dedication to fundamentals, teamwork, and leadership aligns with the values of New Prairie Athletics,” McBride wrote in an email to the South Bend Tribune.
Curless confirmed that New Prairie’s flag football head coach Shauna Tewell, who is also a New Prairie alumna, will be his lead varsity assistant coach. He is still working on putting together the rest of his staff, but don’t be surprised if the eventual names are also former Cougars.
“You really have to put yourself in their shoes and be able to see it from their side,” Curless said. “You need a coach who you can approach, a coach you can talk to and someone you trust. They’ve seen me; they know me. I’m in the community, I’m in the neighborhoods.”
Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleMSmedley.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Ryan Curless hired as New Prairie girls basketball head coach
Reporting by Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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