Charlestown native Michael Prichard was approved Tuesday night as Charlestown High School’s girls’ varsity basketball coach during a Greater Clark County Schools board meeting.

Prichard, a 1997 graduate of Charlestown, replaces Scott Matthews, who resigned last week before ever coaching a game.

“I understand where Coach Matthews is coming from,” Charlestown athletic director Chad Gilbert said of the former coaches’ surprising decision. “Spending time with his family is part of the reason I got out of coaching (at Jeffersonville). The timing wasn’t good for us, but we moved fast and got a great candidate.”

Prichard was captain of the school’s last single-class sectional champion team in 1997. He coached freshmen boys’ basketball at Charlestown from 2005-2008.

“It means a lot (to return to Charlestown) because I put in lots of hard work when I was there,” said Prichard, who was junior varsity girls’ coach at Eastern Pekin from 2009-2011. “To be able to get back to a community and school that I’m so passionate about is really exciting. (Charlestown) is something that’s never left me. No matter where I’ve been as a teacher and coach, something about Charlestown always stuck with me.”

The new Lady Pirates’ boss also had a brief stint in small-college basketball, serving as an assistant men’s coach at Spalding University in Louisville from 2008-2009.

Prichard has heard expectations about this year’s girls’ basketball team, and is ready to get the season underway. He will hold a team meeting Thursday.

“A lot of these girls have put in lots of time over the years to get where they’re at and I hope they continue to grow as players and student-athletes here at Charlestown,” he said. “I’m thankful for Chad (Gilbert) and the committee for this opportunity to give back.”