ECC brings Gordon home for a new start
Coach leaves Griffith for ‘rebuilding situation’
Grayling Gordon is coming home. Gordon, who was Griffith’s coach for the past three seasons, has been hired as the coach at East Chicago Central. His hiring was approved Wednesday evening by the school board.
Gordon is a 1985 East Chicago Washington graduate. He replaces Marcus Jefferson, who was not rehired after three seasons.
“It’s always exciting to be back home,” Gordon said. “It’s a rebuilding situation. But again, it’s still East Chicago.”
Gordon wasn’t looking to leave Griffith, but his job as dean of students was eliminated after the school year ended. He was hired as a physical education teacher at East Chicago Central. He said he resigned from the Griffith coaching job on Thursday.
Gordon, who has coached at Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central, has lived in East Chicago since 1998.
Gordon and Kenny Lofton, a six-time All-Star with the Cleveland Indians who played basketball at Arizona, were guards for the 1985 Washington team that reached the Final Four.
Jefferson was 34-35 in three seasons at East Chicago Central and didn’t win a sectional. The Cardinals went 12-12 last season.
Gordon said he hadn’t met with East Chicago Central’s players yet, but he’s confident the program can regain its form.
“The one thing I’ve said about being in an industrial town is that it doesn’t take long to build something,” Gordon said. “Most of what it will be about for us early is what the (coronavirus) pandemic will allow us to do to get us on a good path.”
Gordon, who was 45-27 at Griffith, said he didn’t expect to have a shot at the East Chicago Central job but he’s happy to be the coach.
“I knew I just kept having birthdays,” he said. “At some point, you give up on being able to do it (go home). I’m just appreciative I have the chance.”