Off the Court

Meet Bridgton’s Assistant Basketball Coach, Paris Horne ’07

Paris’s talented career has included competing in both the Big East Conference as well as overseas. For the past two years, this Wolverine has brought his love for hoops to Bridgton students, working side by side with Whit Lesure, who coached Paris during his year at the Academy. Along with his deep passion for all-things basketball, this valued faculty member lends his expertise in academics through his work as a focused academic coach, individually steering students to reach new goals. And while North Bridgton may not be the place where he got his start with “the game,” Paris will be the first to tell you that the impact his year at Bridgton had on his life endures to this day.

Please describe a bit about yourself— where you are from, your interests, your family, past work experience?

I was born and raised in Philadelphia but moved to Delaware at the age of 15. I come from a fairly large family with three brothers and one sister.

My interests are...basketball! I’ve always played for fun. I like lots of other sports too, including track and football, which I played in high school also. Basketball became the most important sport to me in late elementary school and still is today.

I am a family and friends guy. I have a four-year-old son, who I spend as much time as possible with. Most of my family lives in Delaware, but my dad still lives in Philly, so I spend some time there.

I also like to travel, which I was able to do a lot of while playing basketball. Some of my favorite places I’ve been include Thailand, Greece, Morocco, the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Istanbul. In addition to traveling, I enjoy trying new foods and I like to shop, which is so easy to do these days online!

Tell us about your time on the court.

After Bridgton, I played at St. John’s University. In 2011, the same year I graduated from St. John’s, I was a free agent in the NBA draft. Due to the NBA lockout that year, my rookie year was spent overseas in Germany with the Euro League. By the following year, I enjoyed a brief time in the states with the Charlotte Hornets before going back to Europe to play in Greece. I also played for teams in Turkey and Finland up until 2016.

In 2015, I had the exciting opportunity to play for the Overseas Elite in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) on ESPN, a winnertake-all tournament. We were undefeated that year and walked away with the prize. I played again in 2016, 2017, and 2018 and am now the General Manager of Overseas Elite, working to put the team together and serving as an assistant coach.

Why did you feel called to come back and work for Bridgton Academy?

I was recovering from an injury when Coach Whit called me. I was excited to see if Bridgton had changed from when I was a student, although I discovered the foundations really haven’t changed at all. There are things that feel different, such as the renovations in Cleaves Hall (I lived in Walker in 2007), new technology, and other adjustments to keep with the times. The important things are the same—Bridgton is still a school working to make a real difference in the lives of our young men.

I was really excited to bring my basketball experience back for today’s students. I feel as though I can connect on a different level because I attended here and the guys feel

like I can relate to them. I’ve taken my own journey as a student-athlete and can now give guidance. I understand what it is like to complete the “grind” of a full year and how much time it involves being dedicated to your sport and academics at the same time. I’m also able to share real examples of how I’ve been able to take what I learned at Bridgton and apply it to my life, starting with college and then moving beyond.

When I’m not coaching basketball, I’m working with students academically in Bridgton’s Academic Support Center. Many of the same things I share with the players on the court apply to the classroom as well.

What has your experience been like playing basketball for Coach Lesure and now working with him as a peer?

It was great playing for Coach! He truly prepared me for any coach I had after him, even when I was playing for the Big East, because you always had to bring your A-game. Not only did Coach Whit helped me with the game, he helped me even more with life in general.

Now he’s not my coach and that’s also great! We think the same way about basketball, and we have fun. I know what makes him tick and I can prepare the guys in the same way. What I learned about Whit in one year as my coach made it easy for me to make the transition to being his assistant. We have a great bond and a great time together. In a million years, I would never have guessed that I would be back at Bridgton coaching with him!

What do you think are some of the most important things that Bridgton Academy instills in our students?

Teaching our students to advocate for themselves. It’s often their first time away from parents and family, which makes it an ideal opportunity to teach self-advocacy. I really feel like Bridgton is a “13th grade” preparing you for college and what’s next. Many of our students are athletes. If they play at the college level, they will always have someone who will be checking that they are doing what they should be academically. At St. John’s, I had study hall hours and a tutor, and Bridgton totally prepared me for that. Bridgton is different from high school by design. Students should take advantage of that fact and make the most of what is offered here.

What is one thing your students/players/coworkers would be surprised to learn about you?

I am a really good fencer! In the fourth or fifth grade, I was part of an after-school program because my mom worked late. It kept me out of trouble and gave me a place to go until she got done with work every day. I was active, so I loved trying anything new related to sports. I also loved the Power Rangers and karate, so fencing was definitely for me! They taught me all the fundamentals and because I was athletic, I picked it up easily.

What is your favorite dining hall meal, either from when you were a student or now?

Breakfast, especially the waffle maker! When I was a Bridgton student, we could make our own waffles with all of the toppings: strawberries, maple syrup, whipped cream, you name it! It was the best!

BA

“I was really excited to bring my basketball experience back for today’s students. I feel as though I can connect on a different level because I attended here and the guys feel like I can relate to them.”