Did you play basketball when you were in school? 

Yes, I played basketball all growing up and into high school. Basketball was always my favorite sport to play (and the one I was the best at). I also played baseball, but I struck out too much to continue that…  
 

How long have you been coaching? 

This will be my 2nd official year of coaching. I coached 1 year up in Illinois at my first job. I coached freshmen boys there as well. 
 

What is your favorite aspect of coaching your sport? 

The competition. I love competing in everything I do. Competition is great, and it is great to see how the kids respond to different aspects of the game, adversity, etc. Plus, just watching a lot of other great kids play the game at a high level is really fun to watch.  
 

What inspired you to become a coach? 

My passion for basketball. Being able to still contribute and be a part of a sport and team, especially with a great basketball program like we have here at Sequoyah, is something I have always wanted to be a part of when I started teaching. Coaching is just an added bonus I have along with my teaching career. It really feels like a fun but full-time hobby. Working with more great kids like the ones we have in our program is an awesome opportunity.  
 

What is the most difficult part of being a coach? 

Not being able to play. Seriously, I get really into the game. I’ve said that so far, I have gotten more fired up and amped up coaching than I did when I played. The games are obviously the best part. But it’s still great to see the kids compete and get after it every single game, and I hope they can bring a great energy to every game and practice we have.  
 

Do you have any attributes that you look for in an athlete? 

Effort, effort, and effort. Not every athlete is going to be the best player on the team, and that’s OK. What I do care about is the effort that is put in. If you are putting in 100% effort every single minute you’re on the floor, chances are that you’ll get more playing time than someone who’s dogging it or going through the motions. Adding to that, a positive attitude (body language, being a team player) is a great thing to have to bring a team together. 
 

What is your goal for your teams this season? 

At the freshman level, I just want to see us compete and play hard. Seeing how much we can grow from the very first practice on 10/25 to the end of the season will be really cool to see. I want the freshmen to come in, compete every day, become better basketball players, athletes, and students, and I’m confident we can make that happen. At the varsity level, I think we all have high expectations. Coming into this program under Coach Carden has been a blessing for me and working with these guys in the summer has shown me that we have a special team. As Coach Carden says, “we don’t pass the look test,” but this group can definitely ball, and I’m excited to see how far we go this year.