Were you raised Catholic? Yes, I am from a family of nine children and was an altar boy for many years. I have two brothers and six sisters. My parents gave us a great foundation. Missing Mass or church school was never an option.
Why did you go into coaching? I had three uncles who coached football or basketball in Catholic schools in upstate New York. I always wanted the keys to the gym. I played ball in college at Wheeling (W.V.) Jesuit University. When I discovered I wasn’t good enough to play professionally, I decided to coach. I began right after graduation.
Do you still enjoy it? Yes, and it’s all I know. I hope to coach another 10 years or so. Hopefully, lots of exercise and eating right will keep me healthy enough to coach well into my 60s.
You coached at Catholic colleges early in your career. Was that much different? No, not really – except that the priests had a vow of poverty – and they try to make the coaches take one, too. I am just kidding! I loved coaching at the two Jesuit colleges (LeMoyne and Canisius). The priests and administration were very good to me and my family. I would not trade those years for anything.
What has been the best part of coaching? Seeing the personal development of the players, both on and off the court. Coming to U of M is a dose of reality for many of them, since there is a good chance they were the best players in the history of their high schools, yet now they are with 10 to 15 players who are just as good. Only five can play at a time, so we try to guide them through that reality. At the same time, we have the obvious adjustments to college life. Assisting a young man through that period of his life can be very rewarding.
The worst part? I don’t like losing!
 How do you handle losing? As a young coach, when we won, I was overjoyed and really thought I knew what I was doing. When we lost, I would be upset with my players and myself until the next game.
I have learned to switch that around. Now when we lose, I can’t wait to watch the video to see how I can become a better coach and how my team can improve.
My Catholicism helps me through low times. It teaches me to keep trying to do my best, to follow God’s will, to control what I can and leave the rest in God’s hands. I believe St. Ignatius Loyola once said, “Pray as if everything depends upon God; work as if everything depends upon you.” I try to do that.
What core values do you try to teach the players? How does your faith fit into that? To trust each other and to be good teammates. I try to show my faith through my actions and example. I like the saying that my mom taught my family – “Values are caught, not taught.”
You were recently named to lead the NCAA basketball ethics coalition, so your peers must see the example you set. I was honored that the NCAA asked me to head it. It is a mentoring, educational endeavor to clear up any misunderstanding of what coaches should expect of each other. We need to be vigilant that we are conducting ourselves properly, and the recommendations that we will make can bring about positive change.
How has your coaching changed over the years? I have definitely mellowed. I am still demanding, but have changed quite a bit since Kathleen and I started a family (they have been married almost 31 years and have three grown sons and a married daughter). I began to really see the grace and beauty of God once my family began to grow. I saw how they are all different, and that helped me see that my players respond differently to coaching and instruction.
Two great quotes help me: “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” and “Rules without relationship equals rebellion.” There is a sweet spot between showing your team you love them while you also teach them discipline and mental toughness. Just like when you are a parent!
We sit down with the guys one-on-one and get to know them, their families and their goals as much as possible. We try to help them understand and develop their strengths, and to shore up their weaknesses on and off the court. Seeing them grow is what makes coaching great.
How do you handle the pressure of a job that demands winning? I couldn’t get through the season without faith. I try to find and keep peace of mind, through prayer, Scripture and Mass. Faith grows the more we surround ourselves with the church. The more faith I have, the more peace. I have different prayer books all over the place with inspirational thoughts underlined. During Lent, which usually comes at the end of the basketball season when the pressure is greatest, I try to get to Mass every day as a form of gratitude.
Describe your relationship with God. I feel like I don’t do enough to grow in my relationship with God, even though I am always looking for ways to grow closer. I have faith in God’s will and that he has a plan for me, but I need to trust that more!
How do you balance work and family? It’s difficult due to the time demands at this level. The work can consume you because most coaches are intense competitors. I want to be the best. I try to spend as much time as possible with my family and still win games. My family has never known anything else. This is my eighth coaching job, so we are like a military family with all of our moving around. The kids all have different birthplaces and different schools they attended, but they like basketball. Kathleen really understands the game and gets to most home games. Any of the successes we have had has a lot to do with Kathleen, Seana, Patrick, Mark and Andrew. They have been with me every step of the way.
Do coaches in the Big Ten Conference like each other? We are like a fraternity. It’s a great group of guys who get along well, even though we compete really hard with each other, too.
Michigan State University coach Tom Izzo? He is a terrific person and I really admire the way Michigan State runs its basketball program. He is one of the very best coaches in college basketball today!
Does God care who wins a U of M-MSU game? I think he has more important things to do. I never pray to win, just that we do our best and to be grateful for the opportunity. I have faith that God is behind me one way or the other. I do tell people that if we ever get to the national championship game on Monday night, I will be at Mass at 9 a.m., 10:30 and noon the day before – and I won’t be leaving early, either.
Most major universities have a Catholic presence on campus in the form of a Newman Center and/or a student parish. Often, even smaller schools have a campus minister. In the Catholic Diocese of Lansing, there are student parishes at:
• The University of Michigan – St. Mary Student Parish, 331 Thompson St., Ann Arbor, 734.663.0557, www.stmarystudentparish.org
• Michigan State University – St. John Student Chapel, 327 MAC Ave., East Lansing, 517.337.9778, www.stjohnmsu.org
• Eastern Michigan University – Holy Trinity Student Parish, 511 W. Forest, Ypsilanti, 734.482.1400, www.catholicsoncampus.org
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