Full Court Press

Title: NBA assistant coach to the Milwaukee Bucks 

Hometown: Dayton, Ohio

Now resides in: Milwaukee, Wis.

Degree: 1990, M.A., Industrial/Organizational Psychology

How I got to Tech: I came to Tech to be a graduate assistant. At the time, the basketball coach at Tech was Andy Russo. A friend got him to hire me. I taught class while I got my master's. It was a great experience.

After graduating: I became the head coach at Union College in Barbourville, Ky.

What I do now: I'm an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association. I specialize in player development.

How I caught the basketball bug: Ever since I was a kid, I loved to play basketball. I was a decent player, not a great player. I played on the college level as an undergraduate at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. During that time, I found a job coaching a high school team and discovered that I really liked coaching.

An average day in my job: When I first get in, I answer calls and watch a tape of an opponent we're going to play. After our staff meeting, I go onto the floor to watch younger players workout. After practice, we stay on the floor to work with the younger guys on shooting, ball handling and conditioning. After that, we meet, eat lunch together and talk about what we're going to do the next day. I usually come back to my office to prepare for the next game. Working in the NBA is a dream job for me.

How Tech prepared me for the NBA: The coaches I worked with - Andy Russo, Steve Welch Tommy Joe Eagles - were superb men. Tech had a great atmosphere for learning. Karl Malone was in my weight lifting class and also played on a team with me. We'd play in little towns in Louisiana my third year, which was his freshman year. It was a fun time.

Tips on choosing a major: Do something that you're passionate about. I have a great passion for helping athletes improve and for being a teacher of basketball at the NBA level. If you're excited about what you're doing, people will notice that.

Advice to someone who wants to enter my field: Start to work at camps and develop a network of coaches. Find a person who will help you be a good coach. That will help you move on. Mentoring is very important; I love mentoring young players.

My toughest professional challenge: Getting guys to continue to work hard when things don't go their way.

Memories of Tech: I lived with great roommates in a duplex by the Tech farm. I enjoyed going to football games with them, going to Shreveport for the state fair game, coaching basketball - and working with a great player like Karl Malone. The people who I met and the relationships that I developed were most important. Also, I had good teachers and classes that prepared me to deal with people and problems.

Triumphs in my life: My ability to overcome diversity has served me well. I've been fired from a few jobs; I lost a daughter in a car accident. Without my faith in God, or grace and mercy, I wouldn't be where I am today with my family.

If I weren't an NBA coach, I'd probably be: A high school physical education or health teacher - or, I would be a motivational speaker.

If I've learned one thing in life, it is: Never, never, never give up! You can't give in when things get tough. Life's about relationships, it's not about you.