Portland High School names Chad Sayen as new varsity boys basketball coach
Portland High School announced this week that Chad Sayen will take over as the varsity boys basketball head coach, succeeding a program that has enjoyed recent regional success. The school board highlighted Sayen’s deep roots in the community and his proven ability to develop talent at the youth level.
Sayen arrives after five years of service within the Portland basketball system, where he has helped guide the team to back‑to‑back MHSAA Regional appearances. Prior to that, he honed his craft at Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart and Rockford (MI) High School, and spent time in the front office of the West Michigan Whitecaps, bringing a professional perspective to his coaching philosophy.
The new coach comes from a family steeped in athletics; his father was a longtime high school football coach and a member of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. Sayen has also worked alongside future Hall of Fame coach Luke Pohl, an experience he says has shaped his approach to strategy and player development.
Beyond wins and losses, Sayen is focused on building a culture of trust, accountability, and youth empowerment. He plans to strengthen the feeder system, aligning youth programs with the varsity roster, and to create an environment where student‑athletes grow both on and off the court.
Sayen and his wife, Jaclyn, are parents to daughter Avery (10) and son Langston (8). Expressing gratitude, he said he is humbled to lead the Portland boys program and looks forward to carrying forward the momentum established by Coach Luke Pohl while forging new pathways for the next generation of players.