Interview with university basketball coach

1: What inspired you to become a basketball coach, if it was a certain person who and how did they inspire you?

 

I have always loved basketball and even when I was younger and still playing I thought I wanted to be a coach someday.  I don’t think that there was one person who inspired me to be a coach. Even though my father never coached basketball he encouraged my love of all sports and supported me as much as anyone along the way.

 

2: Did you play basketball when you were younger, if you did what team(s) did you play for? Do you still play basketball now?

 

I did play basketball growing up.  I didn’t start playing until grade 6 because I had always played hockey before that.  I played for minor basketball teams in Fredericton and then at Albert Street Junior High and FHS

 

3: How long have you been coaching university basketball; did you coach any other levels of basketball before you became a university coach?

 

This is my first year coaching university basketball.  I started out coaching U14 teams when I was younger, and then coached at the high school level for many years.  I was the head coach of the Harvey High varsity girls team for 11 years prior to moving to the university.  I have also coached provincial teams with Basketball New Brunswick since 2015.  I have been an assistant coach with U15 and u17 provincial teams, a head coach at the U17 level and this past summer I was the head coach of the men’s Canada Games team.

 

 

4: Have you ever met any famous basketball players if so, who? If not what player or coach would you dream of meeting and why?

 

I have not met many really famous basketball players.  There are several coaches I would love to meet.  It would be a great experience to sit down and get ideas from ANY NBA or high-level college coach.  I’d love to get ideas from Dave Smart who coached Carleton University, or from coaches like Jay Wright and Matt Painter in the NCAA. It wouldn’t be so much because of how famous they were, but more because of what I could learn from them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5: What different basketball programs are offered at the university you teach at, what ones are you involved in?

 

St. Thomas has both a men’s and women’s basketball program.  I coach with the men’s team.

 

6: Have you ever coached a player who later went to play in higher levels, if so who and what team did they play for?

 

I have coached quite a few players with Basketball New Brunswick teams who have gone on to be very successful in university.  Just this year Norm Burry was an AUS All-Star and a couple of other players from our 2019 provincial team had great AUS seasons this year.  We also have a few players from last summer’s Canada Games team that will be moving on to play at high level universities next year.

 

7: You now coach men’s basketball, what would you say is the biggest difference between men and women’s university basketball?

 

I don’t think that there is really that much difference.  I have coached both male and female teams before and the game itself is the same. I would say in general female players tend to play more for the social aspect of the sport and want to fit in and be accepted by their teammates.  Male players tend to be a little more focused on their own accomplishments.  In terms of the game itself, with strategy and the way the game is played there isn’t a lot of difference.

 

8: What are some of your biggest basketball accomplishments and, what is something you want to accomplish in the future?

 

I have coached in 5 Final 12 games as a high school coach and won 2 provincial championships with the Harvey girls team.  I think building that program and having success year after year would be a big accomplishment.  I also won a bronze medal as head coach of the 2019 U17 boys team, which was the first time a New Brunswick team had won a medal at that tournament.  Because of the fact that my teams have had success I have won the NBIAA Coach of the Year Award and also the Sport NB coach of the year award.  Even though they are individual awards they only come because of having good players.  In the future I want to have the same success at the university level and help build a program there that is competing for championships every year.

 

9: What would you say your coaching strategy is, does it change with different players and or teams?

 

My coaching strategy would definitely change with different players and teams.  I would always try to change tactics to fit the strengths of the players I was coaching.  In terms of an overall coaching philosophy I think the biggest thing I try to do is to build teams and players who are able to function without me.  If I do my job along the way then by the end of a season or by the end of a player’s career they should have an understanding of the game and be able to make decisions independently that will lead to team success.

 

 

10: What is your favorite basketball quote, who said it and why is it your favorite?

 

I love quotes, so it is hard for me to pick one.  One that resonates with me is: “Hard work is not punishment.  Hard work is the price of admission for sustained excellence.”  This quote came from Jay Bilas who both played and coached at Duke University and is now a broadcaster.  I like it because some people think that working hard entitles them to something or is a guarantee of success.  To me, working hard is just a starting point and is the minimum standard to be successful.  Working hard doesn’t ever guarantee that you are going to reach your goals, but often times not working hard is a guarantee that your goals can’t be reached.