After 12 years as a Division I college basketball coach, I took advantage of an amazing opportunity last year to work for the NBA as 1st Assistant Coach for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Developmental League which is affiliates for the Back to Back World Champion Miami Heat!
The last, first practice of the year is a special thing for a Senior! It is a day of excitement; but also, a day of alarm that this is the last go around as a college basketball player! A day that you can’t wait to get started yet, one that makes you realize you have started your last long grueling stretch of practice where you beat up on your body and teammates for several weeks before you ever get to let your built up passion and new improved game from the year before out on an actual opponent!
The second day of my road trip resumed after resting for a couple short hours at the Mississippi Welcome Center near the state line between Alabama and itself. As I pulled away from my parking place I realized that I hadn’t slept all night but a break from starring at oncoming headlights was good. The sun was rising and I knew it was going to be a beautiful day to make the long diagonal commute across the state and eventually into Louisiana.
Day 1 of my road trip consisted of 12 straight hours of driving departing form Toledo, OH and ending at the Mississippi state line Welcome Center.
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Join me as I start this road trip journey across the country! Now road trips can come in many different fashions, the most typical include a car load of friends with snacks, junk food, and good music in route to a vacation destination, out of town party, music festival, or sporting event. Continue reading
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No matter how young or old you may be and whether you want to admit it or not, I believe that everyone feels a little more special on their birthday! This is why I try really hard to keep track of as many of my friends, associates, and co-workers birthdates so I can take a couple moments out of my day to wish them a Happy Birthday!
No matter where you are from or where you are now, there is always something special about spending time in the place where you grew up! You may be a permanent resident there or maybe you only get to visit for a couple days each year! Whatever your story, I am sure that you get that special sentimental feeling when the thought of your childhood home pops into your mind. Continue reading
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Let’s face it. Life is hard. Nobody is immune to the unexpected events, twists and turns, and adversity that happen in this game called life. In fact, it is a safe bet to say you will be knocked down many times along your own journey. The odds may seem stacked against you during certain low points. You might even feel like watching the rest of the “game” from the bench. However, just as a rebound in basketball gives you a new opportunity to attempt to score, you can rebound in life and transform your situation into something better than you ever thought possible! But, you must approach your struggles with the right mind-set. The great philosopher Mike Tyson said it best: “Everyone has a plan until they are hit.” Continue reading
Once upon a time there may have been some validity to the legend of the “Dumb Jock” who rarely attended classes and when did was present in courses like Basket Weaving 101, Intro to Bowling, and Finger Painting for freshmen. Jokes like this have been passed around for generations on college campuses and beyond where athletes were rumored to be on campus merely for games and post-game parties. Continue reading
I will never forget the night I met Muhammad Ali, the greatest heavyweight champion of all time! A man who is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in history was also extremely influential outside the ring, most notably in the areas of religious freedom, racial justice, and social change. Continue reading
Coach Darren Kohne 