WAYNESBORO, Pa. – Ever since Derek Null stopped playing basketball, more than a decade ago, the Waynesboro Area Senior High School 2011 graduate has gravitated toward coaching.
When he got a job as a social studies teacher at WASHS, Null seized the opportunity and coached the seventh-grade boys basketball team for four years. Then, Null was reunited with Jack Schenzel as an assistant coach at Penn State Mont Alto in 2019.
“I always found it interesting that my goal in high school and college was to come back to Waynesboro to teach and coach,” said Null, who was in his fifth year as a social studies teacher at WASHS when tapped for the new job.
And now, in perhaps the most consequential move, Null enters his first season as the head coach of the WASHS varsity boys basketball team. He replaces Tom Hoffman, who coached 26 seasons (2000-2026).
“First and foremost, (Hoffman) was a second father to me,” Null said. “Like most teenagers, the more positive role models you have the better. I admired his leadership and challenging me to be better. We were not good those two years (2009-10 and 2010-11). They were two bridge years between the team my brother (Tim) was on and the teams that followed. We never played like losers though. We always practiced hard and we always showed up the next day.”
Hoffman announced his departure from the position in April. Null applied for the job in May and was approved at the first June Waynesboro Area School District meeting.
Since then, Null and the Waynesboro Indians have been busy in the weight room and on the basketball court.
“We’ve been doing summer workouts for the past two months, pickup games at other times, and summer league at Hagerstown Community College,” said Null. “We were 8-4 in summer league play.”
Null is also entering his third year as the assistant principal in Waynesboro. He spent three years in the same position at Boonsboro High School.
“Tommy was always about no regrets,” Null said. “If I didn’t try it, I would regret it. Going back to (Tom) Balistrere and Hoffman, it doesn’t come around often. I got my wife’s blessing. My son Brooks has already loved coming to camp and practices. I miss teaching. All those reasons put me over the edge to get this job.”
The only vacant head coaching position is, oddly, the seventh grade post.
“It sounded like there was quite a bit of interest in the position,” he said. “Obviously, I had to win the job. I had to demonstrate I had the best vision and the best plan to replace Tom. The people on the panel thought I was the best candidate.”
The basketball coaching staff is complete. Richie Davis will once again be a varsity assistant as well as being the junior varsity head coach. Kegan Crider is on staff as an assistant coach, as is Rick Duesler, Brian Carroll and Seth Hoffman.
“(Richie) does so much, whether it’s strength and conditioning to the huddle game, film breakdown and date analytics,” said Null. “Brian was on Hoffman’s first team. He understands what the Indian program is all about. He has coached at Wilson College, was a student manager for Milan Brown at Mount St. Mary’s. He was also an assistant coach at Williamsport High School in Maryland.”
Waynesboro tips off the 2026-27 season at South Western on Dec. 10.
