Byron Faulstich moved his family from Plymouth to Valparaiso for a number of reasons, but the teaching and coaching positions at Wheeler High School simplified the decision.
A Plymouth native, Faulstich received an associate’s degree from Marian University’s Ancilla College before completing his bachelor's degree in education at Marian University Indianapolis. He always knew that he wanted to one day become a teacher and a basketball coach.
“I just started my 12th year as a teacher in August, and I love being able to spend my whole day coaching and teaching,” Faulstich said. “I spent my first six years at Knox High School, and then I moved to my alma mater, Plymouth High School, for three years before starting at Union Township three years ago.”
Faulstich grew up around the game of basketball, both as a player and a viewer. The first decade of the new millennium was a big one for basketball in the state of Indiana, with prominent players and teams making a name all across the country. Faulstich recalls their mutual love for the game fostering a connection between himself and his father.
As a kid, the high school students who he would watch play were his heroes.
“Growing up, I told my dad how much I loved Michael Edison and that I thought he was the best player around; he had to win Mr. Basketball,” Faulstich said. “Little did I know that he lived down the road from me, and my dad invited him over to play basketball with me in the driveway one day. He might as well have been Michael Jordan in my eyes.”
Faulstich’s high school basketball team saw a lot of success but not without some setbacks. After coming up short of a State title during his sophomore and junior seasons, his team held the State championship trophy during his senior season, a testament to the program that was years in the making.
“The biggest thing that I learned through that experience was that the upperclassmen in the years that we didn’t win at all helped build the program that got us to that championship spot,” Faulstich said. “That’s the great thing about high school sports that affect a community: when it’s done right, the success is everyone’s. It’s about passing on a legacy.”
Since beginning his career, Faulstich has always wanted to be a head basketball coach. When the head Boys Basketball coaching position coupled with a history teaching spot opened up at Wheeler, things began to fall into place.
Between teaching and coaching, the leap of faith that Faulstich took at Wheeler is paying off. He found a quick ease with students in the classroom and is building the foundation of a competitive basketball program.
“The basketball program has seen a lot of coaches in a short amount of time, so that creates a feeling of apprehension for the rookie coach and veteran community,” Faulstich said. “We’re laying the building blocks to continually get better and have more success each year.”
Faulstich’s oldest son, Clayton, just began his first year at John Simatovich Elementary School, and Faulstich is enjoying having the experience now of also being a parent within the school corporation. He and his wife, Caitlin, have four children total – Braelynn, Clayton, Cooper and Brooklynn – and they are appreciative of how welcoming the Union Township Schools have been to them.
In Faulstich’s free time, he spends days with his kids at Deep River Waterpark, walking and biking on many of the county park trails and taking trips into Chicago to explore a new museum.
“I love the aspect of the small school environment at Union Township; the students have known each other for so many years and have done so much together,” Faulstich said. “Everybody knows everybody, and that builds such a feeling of community.”