2009 Coaching Staff

Head Coach - Dave Patz

Coach PatzCoach Dave Patz has been with the Girl’s Golf program for 11 years and coached the Boy’s  program for 13 years including 8 as the head coach. Coach Patz took over the girl’s program in 1998.  The team had not made it out of sectionals since 1979.  In his 10 years the team has had 8 winning seasons and has made it to the regional 7 of the 9 years.  The team has qualified for the state finals 4 years, including a 13th place finish in 2004.  He has coached 7 academic All State girl’s, including an unprecedented 4 in 2002. Coach Patz was selected as the 2001 District 3 Coach of the Year by the ICGSA.  He is in his 3rd year as chairperson for the girl’s golf coaches association

Before coaching Girl’s Golf, Coach Patz was a boy’s basketball assistant for 11 years. During this time, the basketball team made it to the final four, 4 straight years and won two state Championships (1993, 1994).  He was the boys coach for 13 years, including 8 as the head coach. His teams qualified for the regional each year, including 2 sectional championship teams and a 2001 trip to the boy’s state finals.  He coached 2 individual boy’s Sectional champions and two Academic All State golfers, and 1 All State player

Coach Patz is a 1982 graduate of Merrillville High School.  He played high school basketball for Merrillville. He completed his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and his master degree from Butler University.  He is married to his high school sweetheart, Kathy.  They have two children Breanna and Brad.
Email
Voice Mail: 227-4136

Assistant Coach-- Stan Benge

Coach BengeCoach Benge is a product of the Wayne Township school system, having graduated from Ben Davis High School in 1972. While attending Ben Davis, Coach Benge participated in cross country, track and basketball, earning all-county honors his senior year in basketball. After graduating he matriculated to Marian College, where he majored in Health and Physical Education and minored in Social Studies. He lettered in basketball for four years at Marian and was MVP of the team of 1974.

His first teaching position was at Roncalli High School, where he taught U.S. History and was assistant boys' basketball and assistant boys' track coach for two years. He returned to Wayne Township in 1978 to teach elementary physical education at Rhoades Elementary. His coaching duties in the township have included assistant boys' basketball, assistant boys' and girls' track, assistant girls' golf, 8th grade boys' track, 8th grade boys' cross country, 7th grade girls' basketball, and elementary boys' and girls' basketball.

Mr. Benge has been the assistant Girls Golf coach for the last 15 years.
Stan is married to Shirley, who is a fifth grade teacher at North Wayne.
Email
Voice Mail: 227-4798

Assistant Coach-- Ron Dillow
Coach Dillow