'Bigger than basketball.' Guerin Catholic program has always been a big deal to new coach

Indianapolis Star

12-05-2025

To say Guerin Catholic basketball is meaningful to Sam Gardner would be an understatement. The 2008 Guerin graduate even got engaged to his now-wife, the former Katie Regan, at midcourt of the school gym.
Gardner, a part of Guerin basketball as a player or assistant coach for all but the four years he spent in college since the program started in 2004, was announced by the school as Guerin's new coach Monday.
'The primary thing that I learned that Pete (Smith) started, and Bobby (Allen) continued to build at Guerin was that it's bigger than basketball,' Gardner said. 'The wins have always come because they are competitive people who want to win but they don't find all of their fulfillment in winning basketball games. Getting to state and winning it all is a goal but it's not a fulfilling life if that is your only goal. It's always been bigger than any one individual here.'
Gardner, who returned to coach on Smith's staff in 2012 after playing in college at Division III Wittenberg University, was an assistant for the Class 3A state championship team in 2015 under Smith and the 2023 3A state finalist team under Allen. The latter was hired at Hamilton Southeastern last month after posting a 128-56 record in seven seasons, leading the Golden Eagles to four sectional titles and three regional championships.
Though Gardner has been around the program for 17 seasons, it was not necessarily his goal to become the head coach.
'It wasn't really my dream job,' Gardner said. 'I was on the staff when Pete was coaching and loved that and when Bobby was there and loved that. I would have been content to serve as an assistant on staff for either of them. But a lot of people asked me about it and encouraged me to look into it. Some things lined up for me to be able to do it. It's important to me to continue the culture that Pete and Bobby built. The success speaks for itself, but Guerin is a really unique place. That's what drove me to apply for it. It's an honor me to have this opportunity.'
Guerin is coming off a 23-5 season but will be losing one of the best players in program history in graduating Bryson Cardinal going into next season. But the sophomore class does have some experience, led by Jake Grissom (12.8 ppg). Gardner said he also believes the assistant coaches who have been working alongside him all plan to be on staff. Tommy Mascari joined the staff the year after Gardner graduated high school, meaning one or both of them have been on staff for every year of Guerin Catholic basketball.
'Even before I came in to interview, I had conversations with the staff,' Gardner said. 'I'll be leaning heavily on the staff that has been there. To Bobby's credit, he heavily involved the staff, and it will certainly be that way with me. It will be exciting. It will be a new team. Bryson Cardinal is not walking through that door. But there will be a lot of opportunities for players to come in and see what they can do.'
Gardner's wife, Katie, is also a Guerin graduate. They have three children ages 6, 4 and 1. His first interview was clearing the idea with Katie.
'She's fully bought into the mission of the school,' he said. 'If I tried to coach somewhere else, I'm not sure she'd let me.'
Guerin Catholic will hold a meeting at the school media center Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. for Gardner to meet with players and their families.
'It's a daunting task to follow two people that have great reputations,' Gardner said of Smith and Allen. 'They are big shoes to fill. But I'm excited for it. Not a lot of people get an opportunity like this.'