By Joanna Chadwick
Derby girls basketball assistant coach Ashton Petrisor has been a basketball fan his whole life.
He idolizes the greats, is a big Duke fan and a former Derby player.
But when his own basketball career ended, Petrisor was left thinking he had more left in his tank. Except this time it would be as a coach.
“I was presented with the opportunity by Derby head coach Brett Flory to coach basketball at Derby North Middle School,” Petrisor said. “This was where I would meet Coach Bryan Chadwick.
“Joining (Chadwick’s) staff and being mentored by him was probably the best thing that could have happened to me, not only for my coaching career but my teaching career as well. Over these last several years, he has opened many doors and provided many opportunities to help strengthen myself as a coach and as a person.”
Petrisor started coaching at just 20 years old in 2018 at Derby North Middle School. He helped coach the seventh and eighth grade boys teams until 2023 when Chadwick was named the Derby girls coach.
No surprise, Chadwick asked Petrisor to continue as his assistant.
“When I found out that he wanted to come with me, I knew it would make my job easier,” Chadwick said. “He knows our system. And our first year, he helped me teach the players and coaches our system. I can check on different things, and Coach P can run practice. They hear the same verbiage with myself and Coach P.
“He’s more than an assistant coach – he’s my little brother.”
