Beast Blog Series The Job I’ve Been Trusted With – Part 2
Looking Back to Lead Forward
Returning to coach back in Oklahoma, I knew I was stepping into more than just a position. I was stepping into my past—and hopefully, into the future of something meaningful.
This isn’t just where I coach.
It’s where I played.
It’s where I learned how to compete, how to endure, and how to grow.
Madill, OK shaped me. These gyms built me. And the coaches I had didn’t just prepare me for games—they prepared me for life.
The Game That Changed Me
In the early ’90s, I was just a kid trying to figure life out through basketball. And like many young athletes, I thought I knew everything—until Coach Klugh and Coach McAdoo showed me I didn’t.
They were relentless. Practices were tough. Expectations were higher than I thought I could reach. At times, I hated it. I wanted to quit more than once. But just when I was ready to walk away, those coaches would pull me back in—not with empty hype, but with belief. They saw something in me I didn’t see in myself yet.
And slowly, it started to click.
What once felt hard became a habit. What once made me doubt myself began to build me. That’s when I fell in love with the game—for what it gave me off the court as much as on it.
A Full Circle Moment
Now here I am, back where it all began. Coaching in the same town where I once played. That’s not lost on me.
I carry this role with pride, but also with weight. This might be the most important job I’ve ever had. Because it’s not just about building a team—it’s about honoring the people who built me, and paying that forward.
Bridging the gap between past and present is the challenge for many coaches today, things that we as coaches should consider.
The New Athlete, The New Challenge
Today’s kids are growing up in a different game. It’s louder. Faster. More connected—and more pressured. Social media, rankings, year-round schedules… It's a lot. Everyone wants to be seen, and few know how to slow down and develop.
So how do we lead these athletes?
How do we coach the modern game without losing the timeless values?
Here's what I’ve come to believe:
To today’s athletes:
Chase growth, not hype. Being great isn’t about who knows your name—it’s about how consistent you are when no one’s watching.
Fall in love with the process. The great ones? They show up when it’s boring. They embrace the sweat and the setbacks.
Play with pride. For your team. For your school. For yourself.
To coaches like me:
Don’t just teach the game—teach life. Help kids believe in more than a win. Help them believe in their ability to do hard things.
Be consistent. You may be the only steady adult in their world.
Keep learning. The game changes. Stay sharp. Stay teachable.
My hope is simple:
That one day, these young women will look back and say that basketball—this school, this program, this community—taught them something bigger than the game.
To work hard. To never back down. To compete with the heart of a lion.
Because if I can do for just one of them what Coach Klugh and Coach McAdoo did for me,
then I’ll know I’ve done my job.