Basketball is my passion. It has been my passion for as long as I can remember. When I got to college, however, the playing days were over. No more practices, no more team camaraderie, no more trips to hostile environments with a group of guys that felt like family. As a freshman at Boston College, I felt a void in my life that intramurals and rooting on the Eagles from the student section could not fill. So, I decided to try my hand at managing the team. I had always been a player and had never seen the other side of a basketball operation. I did not know what to expect, but I walked into my first meeting with Dan McDermott, our video coordinator, with an open mind and an optimistic outlook on things.
That is the attitude that I brought into that first meeting with Dan, and that is the attitude I espouse now as an assistant at Wentworth, a Division III school located in Boston.
My goal as a manager at Boston College for three years was very simple from the beginning. I wanted to meet great people, establish tremendous relationships, experience great basketball atmospheres, and be apart of that basketball family I had been missing out on. My aspiration was always to become a coach, and only with the help of some fantastic people did I reach the place I am at today. I had two great managerial mentors who showed me the ropes and taught me some essential lessons. Mike Swets, now Towson's video coordinator, and Pat Slonaker, and assistant at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Georgia, displayed an incredible work ethic and allowed me to see how to step in and make myself an irreplaceable asset as a manager .
Working under two different coaching regimes allowed me to get to know some of the greatest coaches in the country. Coach Al Skinner is a phenomenal coach and was an absolute pleasure to work for. His staff allowed me to get my hands dirty when it came to a lot of video work. I worked very closely with Mo Cassara aiding him with his scouts, and he is one of the most personable and helpful guys I know in the business.
My senior year, a transition in staff let me a little unsure of my role with the team. Luckily, Steve Donahue came in right away and embraced our managerial crew and let us get very hands on when it came to off season workouts and practices. Hanging out in the office and on road trips with Woody, Nat, Akbar, Joe, Dan, or managers, and our players was the highlight of my senior year. I was a part of something bigger than myself. I worked hard on the practice court, in the office, and on road trips performing whatever tasks were necessary knowing that I was essential to the success of the team and an integral part of Boston College Men's Basketball.
Keeping an open mind and an optimistic outlook helped me play a pivotal role on both staffs. As a Division III assistant, I am a jack of all trades when it comes to video work, film exchange, scouting, recruiting, and coaching. Managing at Boston College prepared me to excel at my job, because it exposed me to everyone of these aspects of the game. I look forward to working at Wentworth with our Head Coach, Tom Devitt, along with our assistants Chris Cullinan and Danya Abrams to create a perennial Division III National Championship contender. For all you managers out there, know that with hard work and the willingness to extend a helping hand whenever you can goes a long way. Hard work does not go unnoticed, and establishing great relationships will allow you to build bridges to success in the future. God Bless and Go Wentworth Leopards!
Follow Tim on twitter: @TMcLaughlin12
No comments:
Post a Comment