Nat. Central’s Micah Coleman no longer head coach

Longtime Natchitoches Central boys’ basketball coach Micah Coleman has stepped down as head coach of the program he built into a statewide powerhouse and into administration at the school.

“It was something that I prayed over and just felt like it was the right thing to do for long term,” Coleman told The Times.

Coleman spent 15 years running the Chiefs’ program, winning a pair of LHSAA Class 5A state titles, earning five Top 28 appearances with six district championships against some of the best talent in the state. He sent 36 of his former players to the college level in his 15 seasons.

“Micah Coleman is a champion. Period,” current Airline coach Eddie Hamilton said. “Natchitoches Central is a championship culture program. We are trying to build to that.”

In addition to serving Nat. Central as an assistant principal, Coleman will continue to assist new head coach Kolton Sepulvado.

“I could never walk away from coaching cold turkey,” he said. “I’ll miss some time during athletic block, but after school, I’ll be able to do some coaching.”

Coleman previously coached at Northwestern State, McNeese State, Sam Houston and Hamilton Christian. His stint at NSU included two as a graduate assistant and one season as a full-time assistant.

“Sometimes you don’t get to pick the timing, but there was a window of opportunity for administration and that was now,” he said. “I’ll never be ready to not coach.”

The Chiefs will remain in good hands with Sepulvado, who has been at the school for 11 years.

“He’s unbelievably good,” Coleman said. “One of the two best coaches I’ve ever known.”

Twitter: @JimmyWatson6