22
ATHLETICS
COACHES CORNER
MATT MIHALIC “If you want to be a coach, first you must refer to yourself as a teacher. That will guide everything you do.”
T
hese words come from Morgan Wootten, a Naismith Hall of Fame inductee who is often referred to as “the Godfather of Basketball.” He amassed 1,274 victories over 46 years, all at one high school. He declined many, many offers to go beyond DeMatha Catholic High School but insisted on remaining true to his calling, teaching history and coaching basketball at the high school level. His philosophy always came back to the real reason he got into coaching in the first place, which was to touch peoples’ lives. I was fortunate enough to know Coach Wootten and his son, Joe, whose camps I worked every summer. Wootten’s career is an inspiration to anyone who wants to make a career out of coaching and played a large part in bringing me to Avon Old Farms. The coaching profession is often warped by immediate gratification. Too often coaches begin compromising principles to win and climb the ranks. But at Avon, we are teachers. We coach so young men can learn life lessons through sports. We can measure success by how much we grow as a team and how willing we are to work every single day. When teams can work hard and learn each day, winning takes care of itself. My love and passion for coaching began the day I was born. My father has been a college basketball coach for my entire life, and I learned the game from him. His first job was
as an assistant coach for Morgan Wootten, who contributed so much to how my dad approached the game. I watched him simplify, then teach, and repeat. Above all, I watched how much he cared for his players and how hard he worked to be successful. He lived each day with tremendous enthusiasm and passion for his craft. That was the kind of career I wanted. My dad’s type of enthusiasm is essential for success. Nothing great is ever achieved without enthusiasm. I am sure all professions can inspire enthusiasm in some form, but each day gives members of this program the chance to feel such great emotion. Reaching for goals presents tough times and adversity, and those experiences fuel the desire to persevere. Furthermore, achieving a goal brings about such a well-deserved sense of accomplishment and joy. These young high school basketball players will feel each of these incredible experiences, and I am honored to be a part of that. These core values shaped my philosophy: be a teacher first, make the game simple, and bring enthusiasm to each thing we do. At Avon, those ideas are second nature. I am so grateful to be here adding to the amazing culture that has been established over so many years, and I am very excited for what is to come. Go Winged Beavers!
