This episode features Interim Head Coach Che Jones of Phoenix College. A lot has happened since Coach Che and I first connected. For instance, he WAS the assistant at Phoenix College, but there was a lot of movement in his athletic department that has included his new title as Interim Head Coach.
Coach Che is a Las Vegas native, but has been with Phoenix College for 7 years on the women's and men's side.
On this episode he shares his experience as a mediocre athlete turned professional athlete, working with a dominant men's program and a growing women's program at the college level, and more! Check it out.
Coach Che Jones can be found on Instagram @im_still_Che
This episode features Coach Mindy Eckert of Manhattan Christian College. Coach Eckert began her coaching career while she was still playing in high school. While attending the University of Saint Mary she helped coach middle school and high school basketball teams. During the summer of 2015 she took an assistant position at John Wood Community College where she stayed for 3 years. After her tenure at John Wood she helped turn around the division 3 MacMurray College Women's Basketball team. Unfortunately, MacMurray College closed their doors in May 2020. While Mac's college was very sad and brought a lot of uncertainty for many, it lead Coach Mindy to her current position at Manhattan Christian College.
In this episode Coach E shares her journey throughout her career, rebuilding a program and having to close the doors, her first year as a college head coach during Covid-19, and more! Check it out.
Coach Mindy Eckert can be found on twitter @MindyEckert33
This episode features me. (Odd, I know). For those that don't know me, my name is Sammy Doucette & I coach at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California. This is my 2nd year at OCC.
Earlier in November I spoke with Coach Mike Hernandez for an episode on his podcast, The Basketball Teacher Podcast. It was a really fun and free flowing conversation highlighting, specifically, the year 2020. He published it on his show on December 20th for the last episode of 2020. I'm bringing it to my show to give my listeners another opportunity to hear a conversation about a year we all have had to do some SERIOUS adjusting and learning in.
I know it's weird for me to have an episode featuring myself, but I truly just want to share the content. Check it out!!!
Coach Mike Hernandez can be found on twitter @mhgiantsfan & @BballTeacherPod
Below is the link to his podcast:
https://anchor.fm/basketballteacherpodcast
This episode features Head Coach Mike Hernandez of Metro Tech High School. He's a coach, a teacher, and the host of his podcast 'The Basketball Teacher Podcast'. He has a unique story in that he actually never played organized basketball. He needed volunteer hours and his friend asked him to coach a 6th grade team with him in order to get the necessary hours. Instantly, Coach Mike fell in love with coaching hoops. Ever since then, he's been set on being a coach!
On this episode we discuss his journey, how he balances coaching & teaching, important lessons he hopes his players learn from him that reach far beyond just the sport of basketball, what he's learned during Covid-19, the culture of his team, his podcast, and SO MUCH MORE! Check it out!
Coach Mike Hernandez can be found on twitter @mhgiantsfan & @BballTeacherPod
Below is the link to his podcast:
https://anchor.fm/basketballteacherpodcast
PSA ** I was on an episode of his podcast. Coach Mike Hernandez has graciously sent me the audio to the episode. It will be featured on his podcast 12/20/20 AND on mine 12/26/2020.. check it out, along with many other episodes from his podcast as well!!!**
On this episode I spoke with Coach Kevin White of the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
Coach White has 18 years of coaching experience & knew this was what he wanted to do at the age of 11!
His experience includes the high school level, the travel circuit, junior college level, and the NCAA DIII level. In addition, he was a Five Star Basketball Camp counselor for six years and is the co-founder of the Camp Darryl Basketball Academy.
In this episode he tells us about the transition from coaching at the high school level to college, mistakes made earlier in his career, the evolution of his recruiting, the importance of networking and so much more. Check it out!
Coach White can be found on twitter @COACHKQW
On this episode I chat with Coach Mario Caetano of Adams State University. Coach Mario got his start in coaching at his alma mater Northern New Mexico College, while he was still receiving his undergraduate degree. He moved up the ranks and ended up becoming the top assistant coach & assistant Athletic Director. After 5 years on staff, his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where he took some time away from college coaching. He was still involved with hoops on the AAU circuit, but worked at an elementary school & drove Uber and Lyft during his free time. Coach Mario ended up getting a call from the Northern New Mexico College Athletic Director, who offered him the Interim Head Coach position with only 8 games left in the season. That was another unique experience that Coach Mario dives into during our conversation.
After bringing in 17 new recruits and removing the "interim" from his title, he was offered the top assistant position and recruiting coordinator title at Adams State University. He then made the decision to start a new journey at Adams State where he is currently in his first year.
During this episode he dives into his journey in depth, explains what he has learned from 2020, advice for coaches, and so much more!
Check it out!!
Coach Mario Caetano can be found on twitter @RioCaetano
On this episode I chat with Head Coach Danelle Bishop of Cal Poly Pomona Women's Basketball. Coach Bishop is entering her 11th season at the helm of CPP. She's led her team to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including three Sweet Sixteens (2011, 2014, 2015), two Elite Eight appearances (2011, 2014) and a Final Four (2014). She has a win-loss record of 200-96 in 10 seasons at the helm of the CPP women's basketball program.
Prior to leading the CPP program, she was the head coach at Cal Baptist University for 3 years. Before CBU, her first head coaching gig was at Azusa Pacific University for four years, where she was hired at 27 years old and from the get-go flourished as a coach. With 17 years of head coaching experience, Coach Bishop is 338-181, a .651 winning percentage.
In this episode I ask Coach Bishop about all of her coaching stops, what her approach to leading a college team at 27 years old, the infamous 1-3-1, coaching through Covid, and more!
Coach Bishop can be found on twitter @CPPCoachBishop
On this very special episode I chat with husband and wife; Head Coach of Mater Dei High School girl's basketball, Kevin Kiernan, and the Head Coach of Concordia University Irvine Women's Basketball team, Christine Collins-Kiernan.
Coach Christine is entering her fourth season as Concordia University Irvine Women's Basketball's Head Coach. She inherited an unfavorable program and has done a phenomenal job at rebuilding it. She has a record of 43-40 at the helm, leading the team to a 3rd place finish in the very competitive PacWest conference and consecutive PacWest Tournament appearances. Prior to coaching at CUI, she was a division 1 assistant at Cal State University of Northridge where their staff put together the best Division 1 turnaround in the nation in 2012. She also served as an assistant coach under husband, Coach Kevin Kiernan, for several years at Mater Dei & Troy High School.
As mentioned, joining Christine on this episode is Coach Kevin Kiernan of Mater Dei High School. Coach Kevin is entering his 15th season at Mater Dei. He is no stranger to consecutive Trinity League Championships, CIF Championships, State Championships, National Championships, Coach of the Year Honors, moving players on to the 4 year level, or just flat out dominating. He is nearing 1000 career wins as a High School head coach, and will no doubt go down as one of the best to ever coach this game!
We talk about their journeys through coaching, how their styles or philosophies have changed over time, their programs NOW, and so much more! Check it out!!
Coach Kevin Kiernan can be found on twitter @KevinkKiernan
Coach Christine Collins-Kiernan can be found on twitter @ChrystiCollins
This episode features Head Coach Liz Kay of Wahconah High School in Massachusetts. Her first varsity gig was at a small prep school, Stoneleigh-Burnham School, in Greenfield, MA. After 3 years, she moved over to the public realm.
Coach Liz's career includes 2 State Championship appearances while at Coventry High School in Connecticut, and one league title, 2 Regional Championship appearances, and 2 Coach of the Year honors in Western, MA all while at Wahconah High School.
She's also worked countless summer camps, including Snow Valley Basketball, and been a mentor for USA Basketball's 'Women in the Game'.
On this episode she shares some of her background, mistakes she made, who she was as a newer coach versus the coach she is now, coaching during Covid-19, and so much more! Check it out!
Coach Liz can be found on twitter @coachlk22
This episode includes Head Coach Lindsay Woolley of the University of Montana Western. Coach Lindsay has been the head coach at the UMW since 2012. He’s led his team to placing top 3 in the Frontier Conference the last three years, winning it in the 2018-2019 season, an NAIA National Championship in the same season, and appearing in the NAIA national tournament 4 times. He has an overall head coaching record of 155-99 at Montana Western and his team achieved the highest national ranking in school history at #3 in the nation.
Coach Lindsay has been named the Frontier Conference COY 3x straight, and was named the WBCA NAIA National COY in the 2018-2019 season.
On this episode he talks about lessons learned early in his career, challenges his team overcame to win a national championship, the approach to a season amidst Covid-19, and so much more. Check it out!
Coach Lindsay can be found on twitter @coachwoolleyUMW
This episode features 22 years old Connor Williams. He got his start in coaching at his alma mater, the University of West Florida, where he was a manager for the women’s basketball team. While at UWF, he was a part of a team that made it to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
He then became a volunteer assistant at Crestview High School from 2016-2018, and the Head JV and Freshmen coach from 2018-2020. While at Crestview, Coach Connor helped take over a losing varsity program. In his first two seasons, they had a combined record of 14-30. The following two seasons they went 39-13. At the same time, his JV and Freshmen teams went 31-7 over the last two seasons.
Coach Connor is currently the new Head Coach at Central High School, and one of the youngest head coaches, if not the youngest, in the state of Florida.
During his playing years in high school, he was a part of a State Championship, a State Runner-up run, 3 total Final Fours, 3 Regional Championships, and 6 District Championships.
On this episode he talks about his experience in all positions held, what he has learned specifically in 2020, and so much more. Check it out!!
Coach Connor can be found on twitter @coach_cwilliams
On this episode we have Head Softball Coach Crystal Rosenthal from Concordia University in Irvine, CA. She was hired in 2009 to take over a good softball program where she turned it into a great program. Some of her successes include 4 consecutive GSAC Regular Season Championships, 1 NAIA National Championship, and Opening Round Championship, was voted NAIA Coach of the Year, and also won 4 GSAC Coach of the Year honors. She holds the most wins out of any other coach in CUI history. Since becoming an NCAA div 2 program, they have dominated the PacWest conference as well & prior to their season getting cut short due to covid-19, the Eagles were nationally ranked at #8.
Coach Crystal was inducted into the Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 for her performance as a softball player at the University. From September 2012 to March 2020 she serves as a senior women's administrator for CUI Athletics and in 2019 took over the role of deputy Title IX coordinator for the 2019-2020 school year. Most recently she was named the CUI Athletic Director. In this episode she shares what she learned in her early years at the helm, the keys to building a great program, the importance of being your true authentic self, and so much more! I don’t care what sport you coach, this is a great one for anybody!
Coach Crystal can be found on twitter @CrystalRosenth1
**My airpods were somehow used as the mic, instead of my actual mic... so sound quality isn't as good as usual but the content is prime!!!**
This episode features Coach Chris McSwain. He's entering his 8th season as the Head Coach of the Valley Christian High School Girl's Basketball Program. During his time at Valley Christian he has led his team to 2 section titles, appeared in 5 Open Division CIF-CCS playoffs, 7 straight CIF-NorCal appearances with one NorCal Runner-up placement, and he's the quickest to 100 wins and holds the most wins in school history.
In addition to his position at Valley Christian, he is also the Director of Basketball for the K-12 Valley Christian School System, co-owner of Splash Lab, he teaches Exercise Science and Health & Human Performance, and he runs Top Flight Sports Academy. He created Top Flight Sports Academy in 2010 and it has evolved to the largest boys & girls club travel basketball program in Northern California with 40 teams in 2019.
In this episode Coach Chris shares his journey through coaching, how his team has adjusted during Covid-19, important lessons he hopes to leave with his players, and so much more. Check it out!
Coach Chris McSwain can be found on twitter @chris_mcswain
This episode features one of my closest friends, Bridgette Reyes. She's excelled in her assistant coaching roles, and transformed every program she has been a part of as a Head Coach. Which isn't too surprising considering that she was one of the best players ever at Vanguard University (NAIA d1). Coach Bridgette began her coaching career at her alma mater, VU, after playing professionally in Portugal. She also dabbled in coaching at the NCAA D1 & NCAA D2 levels. In between her stints at the NCAA D1 &D2 levels, she became the Head Coach for Bishop Montgomery High School where in her first 2 seasons she won a CIF Championship and was named Coach of The Year!
Bridgette is now at the helm of Cal Tech University, and has been since 2017. During her time there she has coached the most successful women's basketball team that Cal Tech has ever had!
I am so excited for everyone to listen to her story! Check it out!
On this episode I spoke with Coach Erin Carey of Long Beach Wilson High Schools. She shares her journey of inheriting a losing program with a bad culture & what it took to turn it all around. She's now a CIF Champion in her 3rd year as the Head Coach, been named Coach of the Year by 6 publications for the 2019-2020 season, and currently has the player of the year Ashley Hawkins on her roster entering her senior season. The future is bright for LB Wilson. Check it out!
Coach Erin Carey can be found on twitter @WLadybruins
This episode features Coach Marc Hart of Patriot High School in Riverside, CA. He got his first Head Coaching gig at the age of 25. In this episode he shares how his philosophies and coaching styles have changed from then to now, the culture at Patriot High School, the Baskipedia Podcast that he is the hosts, System Basketball, and so much more! Check it out!
Coach Marc Hart can be found on twitter @CoachMarcHart
Coach Jeff Depelteau is the current Head Coach at Berkshire School, a co-ed boarding school in Massachusetts. Coach Jeff is in his 2nd year at Berkshire, but 1st year as the head coach. Coach Jeff has been named the New England Prep Coach of the Year, in 2013 and 2017. He's moved young men on the the D3, D2, D1 levels, and even the NBA. He has been a part of USA men’s basketball as well as Snow Valley Basketball Camps. In 2015 he was selected as a winner of Nike’s “America’s Got Basketball Coaching Talent” contest and spoke at the Nike Championship Basketball Coaches Clinic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His speech, “Growing as a Coach,” was produced and marketed by Championship Productions. There’s a lot of good insight from the conversation! Check it out!
Coach Jeff can be found on twitter @CoachJDHoops