It started with my dad on the sideline, the best coach I ever had. Someone to learn from, to admire, to grow into.

At nineteen, coaching began for the first time—with him right beside me. The experience wasn’t long, but it planted something in me.

The next opportunity came back home. A freshman coaching spot opened at my alma mater. My former soccer coach—now running the basketball program—believed in a 22-year-old kid with little experience and a deep love for the game.

The first season was chaos. One win. A lot of learning. Quitting never crossed my mind. The offseason became a classroom, and the second season brought progress. Wins came, but watching players improve, commit, and believe in themselves—that was my true win.

This is sport at its core: emotion, effort, relationships. Trust is earned over time. A group of people choosing to get better together.

That’s the pull of coaching. Influencing young men at a pivotal point in their lives. Being a resource as they figure out who they want to become.

This is where the game becomes legacy.