It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Deer Park boys basketball coach Darren Chandler.

First, Chandler is not even a month removed from leading Deer Park boys basketball on its deepest playoff run in 40 years, reaching the Regional Tournament.

Now the 15-year head coach is getting to do something he has wanted to do for a while now – serve as an athletic director.

On Monday, Chandler was officially hired as the next Deer Park ISD Athletic Director replacing the retiring Jerry Creel.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Chandler said.  “It’s hard to believe. First of all I’m going to miss the heck out of coaching. The day-to-day interaction with  the athletes and I love the teaching part of the job too. But being the athletic director that’s just something I’ve always wanted to do. The opportunity presented itself in a great district, a one high school town with a 6A school.

“It’s just a dream job.”

Chandler will work with Creel for the next few months until fully taking over on July 1.

Chandler exits a Deer Park basketball program which got progressively better each year under his guidance.

In his first season, 2014-2015, the Deer won just eight games. This last season, the Deer racked up 30 wins and reached the Region III-6A Semifinals. Chandler leaves with a record of 75-60 in four years as the head coach of Deer Park.

Chandler has been in coaching for 22 years and 15 as a head coach. The last four have been as the head coach of Deer Park.

Accepting this job feels like his career has come full circle, Chandler said because he started his coaching career with Deer Park ISD in 1994 as an assistant coach at Bonnette Junior High.

Chandler graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1994.

VYPE Houston caught up with Chandler on Tuesday afternoon. Listen below to the entire interview with the new Athletic Director of Deer Park ISD.

https://soundcloud.com/tjames34/new-deer-park-athletic-director-darren-chandler