Full Circle
He’s been in the role of assistant men’s basketball coach at Plainfield High School for years, but this fall, Gavin Groninger will take the helm as head coach.
As a third-generation Plainfield High School athlete, Groninger knew from a young age he’d be in the sports world in one way or another.
“My great-grandfather excavated the land for the first high school, which is now Central Elementary. My grandfather was an athlete at the high school, helped start the youth leagues here, and my dad played at Plainfield, then myself and my brother,” Groninger says. “Some played football and baseball, but we all played basketball.”
In high school, Groninger was a standout player on the 1999 Boys 3A State Championship team. His individual achievements include being named a 1999 Indiana All-Star and earning 1999 First Team All-State honors.
Groninger was selected to the 2024 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary Team.
After graduation, Groninger headed to the University of Michigan to play basketball, and once his college days were over, he returned to Plainfield to start his coaching career.
“When I decided I wanted to coach high school basketball, I really wanted a place I could put roots down. My wife’s family is from Plainfield, and my family is from Plainfield. I have four kids, and it just made sense,” Groninger says. “There are still a lot of people here who were a big influence in my life, and I thought it’d be great to get back to my hometown.”
In fact, Groninger and his wife, Megan, of 16 years, are raising more Plainfield athletes.
Charlee, Groninger’s 16-year-old daughter and volleyball player, attends the high school; his 13-year-old son, Henry, plays basketball and football; his 8-year-old daughter, Indee, plays basketball; and his 4-year-old daughter, Millee’s, athletic passions are yet to be seen.
“Thank goodness for my parents and in-laws. They’re always helping get the kids to one thing or another. We’re grateful to have such a large family,” Groninger says.
After coaching at Plainfield High School for seven years, Groninger served as head coach in Mooresville for two years before returning to Plainfield this fall.
“The experience head coaching in Mooresville was a great opportunity. It’s close by, and I got to get my feet wet; to move over one seat and run my own program for a while,” Groninger says.
In his first year leading the Mooresville Pioneers, Groninger guided the program to a sectional championship — its first in 27 years.
Looking forward, he calls the Plainfield basketball program a “well-oiled machine.”
“Coach Andy Weaver has done a great job of building the culture here, and obviously I was able to help him with that, so I think moving forward, it’s more about keeping that culture, continuing to move things in the right direction and trying to improve each season,” Groninger says. “They had a great season last year, and I think we graduated seven from that team. There were a few great younger players who will return, so we’ll continue to build off that.”
Walking into his first workout this spring, Groninger says more than 30 athletes were in the gym, and several of them he knew as freshmen are now seniors.
He’s getting reconnected and meeting incoming younger players, already seeing the fire behind the high school athletes and their desire to give it all they’ve got.
“It’s a dedicated program with high expectations, and the kids are working really hard. You get that sense of competitiveness because many of them know there’s a chance to make varsity this fall, and they’re hungry to prove themselves,” Groninger says.
More than the competitiveness and culture, however, the coach hopes to make an impact on the lives of each team member.
“Coaching is a tremendous opportunity to be a positive influence on kids. A lot of kids have parents who support them and want what’s best for them. I also had that, but what made a huge difference to me was that first person who believed in me outside of my family. The one who said, ‘You can do something special.’ That was Dana Green for me, my high school coach, so if I can do that for kids at Plainfield, that is a win as a coach,” Groninger says.
He says sports are a microcosm of life.
“You’re going to have ups and downs. You’re going to have peaks and valleys and highs and lows, and it can teach you that if you just keep moving forward, something positive can come out of it,” Groninger says.
The basketball team is already beginning to work out, and Groninger is fully involved as the summer gets underway.
The official season runs from October through March, but exhibition games in the summer reveal a lot about the new team.
“It’s great practice, and that’s when the college coaches are able to get out and see the kids play as well, so it’s a great opportunity,” Groninger says. “You’re building chemistry, and you’re figuring out who will play what next season.”
Groninger is thrilled to return to his hometown alongside other Plainfield graduates throughout the district, coaches who have inspired him, and neighbors who have rooted for him and his family for years.
“Plainfield is great. It’s a great town; the schools are great, the people are great, and you see a lot of familiar faces,” Groninger says. “I think it speaks to the community and just how this is a great place to raise a family. I’m excited to be back home and excited for this new opportunity. I’m filled with gratitude to be a part of this community and school corporation.”
