Candy Wilson Returns Home to Chesterton High School, Where it All Began

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Early Life and Athletic Background

Chesterton Head Coach Candy Wilson, a lifelong Chesterton resident, graduated from Chesterton High School in 1990, where she was a multi-sport athlete playing soccer, volleyball, and served as the starting point guard for the Trojan Girls Varsity Basketball Team in both her junior and senior seasons. Her passion for sports and education from a young age laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to coaching and teaching.

Early Coaching and Teaching Career

After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a Reading Endorsement from Purdue University in 1994, Wilson launched her coaching and teaching careers simultaneously. She served as the Junior Varsity Girls Soccer Coach at Chesterton High School from 1994 to 1998, including the inaugural IHSAA-sanctioned season for girls soccer.

During the same period, she coached Middle School Girls' Basketball and Track at Liberty Middle School (1994–1996) and was the Junior Varsity Girls' Basketball Coach at Wheeler High School (1994–1996), where she was first introduced to the Porter County Conference—a stage on which she would later leave a significant mark.

In 1996, Wilson joined Boone Grove High School as Head Varsity Track and Field Coach and Junior Varsity Girls Basketball Coach while serving as Study Hall and Attendance Coordinator. By 1997, she began teaching 5th grade at Boone Grove Elementary and was appointed Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach at the high school. In 1999, she moved to Boone Grove Middle School to teach science and reading, and during that time, earned a Minor in Science from Valparaiso University.

Boone Grove High School Legacy

From 1997 to 2013, Wilson was Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach at Boone Grove High School, where she built the program from the ground up, beginning with a successful feeder system.  Her teams achieved multiple honors, including:

• A combined career record of 280–135

• 4 Sectional Championships in 2003, 2006, 2008, and 2013

• 1 Regional Championship and a Final Four appearance in 2003

• The most Porter County Conference Tournament Titles by any coach, with 9 championships in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013

• 7 Porter County Conference Round-Robin Tournament Championships in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012

• 5 undefeated conference seasons in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, and 2012

Alongside basketball, Wilson was also the Head Varsity Girls Track and Field Coach, leading them to:

• 4 Porter County Conference Track and Field Meet Championships in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006

• 3 Porter County Conference Track and Field Round-Robin Championships in 2003, 2004, and 2005

In 2008, Wilson earned her Master’s in Curriculum Development and Instruction from Walden University, further enhancing her education while continuing her coaching and teaching duties.

A Return to the Duneland Athletic Conference at Valparaiso High School

From 2013 to 2014, Coach Wilson became the Junior Varsity Girls Basketball Coach at Valparaiso High School for 1 year.   Then, from 2014 to 2024, Wilson took the helm as Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach at Valparaiso High School, where she continued to emphasize youth development and strong feeder programs, putting Valparaiso back on the map.  

Her tenure there includes:

• Career Record: 123–69

• Sectional Championships: 2023, 2024

• Regional Championship: 2024 (the program’s first since 2004)

In addition to coaching, Wilson taught in Valparaiso’s Middle School Alternative Program for two years and served as Reading Specialist at the high school, where she designed and implemented the school’s Reading Program curriculum.

Returning Home

In 2024, Wilson returned to her alma mater as Head Girls Basketball Coach, taking over for her former coach and mentor, Jack Campbell, and carrying forward his storied legacy. Her first season at the helm concluded with a 15–9 record. In addition to coaching, she serves as the Assistant Director of Internships at Chesterton High School, where she emphasizes academic growth alongside athletic development.

Career Honors and Achievements

Coach Wilson is recognized as one of the Top 10 Winningest Active Basketball Coaches in Indiana high school girls basketball, boasting a career record of 418 wins and 213 losses over 27 seasons. Throughout her career, she has earned numerous honors, including 2006 Post-Tribune Girls Basketball Coach of the Year, 2005 Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) District 1 Coach of the Year, and assistant coach positions for both the 2011 Indiana Senior All-Stars and 2006 Indiana Junior All-Stars. She has been named a Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 40 Work-Out Coach (2008) and has served as an IBCA Top 100 Work-Out Coach since 2003. Her leadership extends beyond the court, having been a member of the IBCA All-Star/All-State Selection Committee (2007–2013), Class 2A Poller for the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association (2007–2013), and Basketball At-Large Poller for the IBCA (2007–2014). Additional accolades include being named Gary Steelheads High School Coach of the Week (2003), receiving the Optimist Club of Indianapolis “Sweet-Sixteen” Award (2003), and coaching in the Hoosiers Reunion All-Star Classic in 2018.