GREENVILLE – Michael Bashore will be taking over as the new Greenville basketball varsity head coach for the 2012-2013 season.

“It’s a chance to come back to my hometown and be the head coach so its something to be really excited about,” Bashore said. “I think there’s a lot of potential here and I’m just excited to get to work.”

The Greenville Board of Education approved Bashore during their last meeting on Sept. 27.

“He’s up for the challenge,” Greenville Board of Education Member Fred Matix said.

This will be Bashore’s tenth consecutive year of coaching basketball. He spent four years in Greenville as the girls freshman coach and girls JV coach.

“It’s always great when you can come home and make something positive where you’re from,” Bashore said. “I’m excited because I think things can be great here.”

After that, Bashore worked for three years as the Versailles JV boys coach and eventually as the assistant coach to the Versailles boys varsity team.

When discussing plans for the upcoming season, Bashore said he’s focusing on making the program a permanent foundation.

“We want to bring more positive energy,” he said. “Get the kids working hard trying to build something that’s going to last for years and years.”

Bashore has prior experience working with Greenville’s current Athletic Director Randy Swisher, so he expects to hit the ground running.

“(Swisher) is really easy to work with, so it helps coming into a situation where at least I already have a good relationship with the AD,” Bashore said.

Bashore said when he was coaching in Greenville and Versailles he was surrounded by great coaches, so he feels prepared to integrate their teachings and his own style into the new program.

“I think he’s very passionate about Greenville basketball and he’ll have high expectations for the program,” Swisher said.