# 1-The Administration & Community

Today, I will post the first of six blogs on the topic of the Jacksonville Crimsons' high school boys' basketball program and my tenure from 1977-1998.  The intent is to chronicle the approach taken to build upon a sport program. I coached varsity basketball for 37- years in five different communities and in every instance when my tenure concluded at each school, I walked away and never looked back to critique my successor or the state of his program. I've always had a simple professional coaching philosophy: Make the coaching position larger and more important than it was when you assumed the charge thus the players will be benefactors and consequently the program stronger. I was never interested in being 'the old coach sitting in the stands second guessing the new   coach.' The only contact I've ever had with programs I once mentored is on those occasions when that current coach sought my opinions and knowledge. Period.

OWNERSHIP & THE ADMINISTRATION:
The Jacksonville district administrators asked the right questions during my job interview and gave the correct answers and evidently I did also and ultimately a basketball program building philosophy was agreed upon. That was the first and most significant 'ownership contract.' The top administrators, Bob Crowe, Fred Osborn, Joe Dewees, John Conklin and Al Rosenberger held their people accountable, with great support and no micro-management. Other ownerships to forge would be with assistant coaches, junior high coaches, elementary school principals, news media, cheer Sponsor, Pom Sponsor and pep/jazz band director. A 'how & why' these ownerships were necessary will follow in later writings.

KNOCKING DOWN BARRIERS TO TAP RESOURCES:
I did my homework regarding the socioeconomic and racial factors in the community. In 1977, the combined population of Jacksonville and South Jacksonville approached 30,000. The high school enrollment was approximately 1250. The African-American population in the city was 6 or 7 percent and there was slightly over 100 African-American students in the high school. My observations over the years, which was substantiated by research, suggested that past successful Crimsons' teams had strong contributions from Black players. If futrue teams were to be successful, it was reasonable to believe that we needed to identify talent and that talent came in all colors from all community corners. I was not of the opinion that we could identify talent through word of mouth.

During my first two summers in Jacksonville, I took my lawn chair to the Northeast section of town and specially to Minnie Barr Park where most African-Americans lived and where the youngsters played pickup basketball games. I wanted people to know me and approach me. I also wanted to evaluate young players.

I was approached by some youngsters and several adults. I could extract from those conversations many perceptions regarding race and how it related to and impacted Jacksonville sports'  programs.  Suffice to say that 'people's  perceptions become people's realities.' I had my work cut out to destroy some myths and misconceptions and tap the potential talent.

As I watched young basketball players those two summers, I imagined a  basketball court one day in the center of Jacksonville at community park. Several years later that dream came true when Jacksonville Park Superintendent, Bruce Surratt agreed to the need and found financial support from The Pilot Club to build that court. A court for all who shared a love for the game. After a 21-year coaching career at Jacksonville, my teams' were comprised of approximately 40% Black Players.
 

DISTRICT WIDE ELEMENTARY LEAGUE:
The obvious pathway to building any school program (academic or extra-curricular) is to get to the kids at an early age. At first the eight district elementary principals resisted having their schools open after the school day to host other schools in a grade school basketball league. After some debate the top district administrators made the final decision and the District 117 Elementary Basketball League began. This was the second greatest ownership behind that of the administrators. Consider the upside magnitude of this elementary program: Four high school coaches at four elementary sites evaluating 5th & 6th grade talent, identifying youngsters we wished to make sure attended our summer camps and get to know those families; high school varsity players refereed those games and served as role models and finally, we were introducing future high school basketball players to all socioeconomic areas of our community, which I believe develops true and sincere bonds with teammates.